Venezuela is releasing a “significant number” of citizens and foreigners from its prisons in a decision that the head of the country’s parliament described as a gesture to “seek peace”.
It comes less than a week after former president Nicolás Maduro was captured by United States forces to face drug-trafficking charges in New York.
Jorge Rodríguez, brother of acting president Delcy Rodríguez and speaker of the national assembly, did not specify who they would be releasing or how many people would be released.
But he said the release of prisoners “is happening right now”.
Recently, Venezuela saw the release of several opposition figures and critics, marking a significant development under the interim leadership of Rodríguez. As a former deputy to President Maduro, Rodríguez has assumed the role of leader with the endorsement of US President Donald Trump. Trump expressed his approval of her governance, conditional on Venezuela granting the US access to its extensive oil reserves.
The Penal Forum, a human rights organisation in Venezuela, said as of 29 December, there were 863 people detained in Venezuela “for political reasons”.
In a post on X, director of the forum, Alfredo Romero, said the liberations were “good news” in a country that has been wracked by political turmoil in recent days.
“We will be verifying each release,” Romero wrote.
“We already know of some people on their way to freedom, including foreigners.”
This decision to release political prisoners aligns with longstanding demands from both Venezuela’s opposition and the US government. The move represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing political landscape of the country, potentially signaling a shift towards more conciliatory relations with the international community.
Despite mass detentions following the 2024 election, Venezuela’s government denies there are “political prisoners” and accuses those detained of plotting to destabilise Maduro’s government.
“Consider this a gesture by the Bolivarian government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,” Rodríguez said in an announcement publicised over TV.
Little movement was immediately seen outside one of Venezuela’s most notable prisons, where a number of the detainees are held.
US state department officials did not comment on whether the releases were a demand of the Trump administration.
