The Speaker of the Venezuelan Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, announced that over 400 political prisoners have been released in the country so far, but human rights organizations indicate that according to their statistics, the number of those released in recent days is much smaller – between 60 and 70 people, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Rodriguez, brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, and US President Donald Trump said last week that many prisoners would be released as a gesture of peace following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his forced transfer to the United States on January 3.
The release of people considered political prisoners is one of the long-standing demands of the opposition in the South American country. The Venezuelan government has always denied that it is detaining its political opponents. Authorities said they had already released most of the 2,000 people detained following protests against the country's disputed 2024 presidential election.
“The decision to release some prisoners, not political prisoners, but some politicians who have violated the law and the Constitution, people who called for an invasion, has been approved”, Rodriguez told a parliamentary session, adding that the aim was to promote “peaceful coexistence”.
Local NGOs said the number of people released since Thursday was between 60 and 70, and condemned the slow pace and lack of information surrounding the releases.
On Monday, Venezuelan prison authorities said 116 people had been released.
The human rights group “Foro Penal” (Foro Penal), which defends the cause of political prisoners in Venezuela, said that at least 800 political prisoners were behind bars as of the beginning of this year.
Opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, who is expected to meet with Trump on Tuesday, is one of the leading figures demanding the release of the prisoners, some of whom are her close associates.
Families of the imprisoned and human rights groups have condemned the mistreatment of detainees, including denial of medical care, isolation, lack of access to lawyers and even torture.