Human rights organizations in Venezuela announced on Sunday that authorities had released at least 80 political prisoners, a move that comes in response to intense pressure from the United States on the new interim government. This step is part of a series of measures promised by the current administration to calm the internal situation and improve foreign relations.
Details of release and verification processes
The human rights NGO Foro Penal reported that the releases were proceeding slowly and cautiously. Alfredo Romero, the organization's director, stated via the X platform: "We have confirmed the release of 80 political prisoners across the country so far, and we are continuing to verify cases. We expect to see more releases in the coming hours.".
For his part, lawyer Gonzalo Himiope, a member of the same organization, explained that most of the releases were carried out during the night hours, noting that the current number is not final and is subject to increase as field monitoring and documentation operations continue.
Political context and the shift in power
These developments follow a dramatic shift in the Venezuelan political landscape, with Delcy Rodríguez assuming power as interim president on January 5. This change came after a US military operation on January 3 that resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, creating a new political reality that compelled the interim administration to adopt a different approach.
Since taking office, Rodriguez has pledged to turn over a new leaf, including explicit promises to release political prisoners, sign strategic oil agreements with the United States, and begin legislative reforms aimed at restructuring the vital hydrocarbons sector of the Venezuelan economy.
Conflicting figures and legal controversy
Despite the initial welcome for the releases, there is a clear discrepancy between the official account and reports from independent organizations. While the Venezuelan government asserts that it has released 626 political prisoners since last December, data from the organization Foro Penal indicates that the actual number documented is no more than half the official figure.
The opposition and the families of the detainees criticize the slow pace of the procedures, as hundreds of families continue to hold sit-ins in front of prisons, sleeping in the open air while waiting for news about their relatives, demanding greater transparency and an acceleration of the release of all prisoners of conscience.
Background to the crisis: The bloody 2024 elections
The current crisis of political prisoners has its roots in the violent unrest that swept the country in 2014, following the announcement of Nicolás Maduro's victory in a presidential election that the opposition and the international community deemed fraudulent. The ensuing crackdown resulted in the deaths of 28 people and the arrest of approximately 2,400 citizens.
The Venezuelan opposition remains steadfast in its position that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, is the legitimate winner of those elections, accusing the National Electoral Council of collusion and withholding detailed results under the pretext of a cyberattack, which has deepened the political divide in the country and prompted recent international interventions.
