A leading Venezuelan human rights group, Foro Penal, has announced the release of at least 80 political prisoners, a move interpreted as a response to mounting pressure from the United States.
Alfredo Romero, the head of Foro Penal, stated that his organization is in the process of verifying the identities of those freed from various prisons across the nation. He indicated that more releases may occur soon.
This latest batch of releases follows the intense scrutiny over the Venezuelan government's actions, particularly after the U.S. seized President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month and extradited him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges.
While Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez claimed that over 600 prisoners had been released, Foro Penal refutes this number, suggesting it is exaggerated.
Romero shared news of the releases on social media, highlighting the case of a colleague, Kennedy Tejeda, who had been imprisoned in Tocorón jail since August 2024. Legal representatives from Foro Penal, including Gonzalo Himiob, suggested that the final count of releases could surpass 80 as they continue their verification work.
However, many of those freed have not had their charges dropped, leaving them in a limbo where they're prohibited from speaking publicly.
Confirmed reports indicate that a total of 156 political prisoners have been released since January 8, which includes domestic opposition figures as well as at least five Spanish nationals.
Separately, Rodriguez announced plans to consult with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concerning the verification of the released prisoners.
Human rights activists have long accused the Venezuelan government of using detentions as a means to suppress dissent, though the government insists that those arrested were involved in criminal activities.
Most of the detentions occurred following the disputed presidential election in 2024, after which Maduro declared victory amid widespread accusations of electoral fraud.
