Bogotá, Colombia — Venezuela has released a “significant” number of political prisoners, according to a statement on Thursday from the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez.
According to the Associated Press, the released prisoners include both foreign and Venezuelan opposition figures and the move was requested by the White House.
The release comes almost one week after the US bombed targets across Venezuela and captured its leader, Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has assumed the interim presidency and the move to release the political prisoners is an attempt to “seek peace”, according to her government, cited by AP.
As of January 5, Foro Penal, a Venezuelan NGO that provides legal assistance to people arbitrarily detained, reported 806 political prisoners detained in Venezuela. They reported 86 of those detained were foreigners.
Foro Penal’s vice president, Gonzalo Himiob Santomé, said on X Thursday that, “It appears the release process involves taking them out of the prison in vehicles with tinted windows and then releasing them elsewhere.”
The president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, said: “The Bolivarian government, together with the institutions of the State, has decided to grant freedom to a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign citizens.” Rodríguez, who is the brother of acting President Delcy Rodriguez, added that the “gesture by the national government should be considered a clear indication of its commitment to seeking peace.”
Statements from some of the freed prisoners began coming out last night. Enrique Márquez, a former opposition candidate in 2024 elections who has been detained for over a year, said “It’s all over now,” according to The Guardian.
CNN also reported, and Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, that five Spanish nationals have also been released.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the release was a “very important and smart gesture” and that he “cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed,” adding that he would keep naval ships in the area.
The release of the group of prisoners came after the so-called “Threefold Process” announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The process reportedly includes “stabilization,” “recovery,” and “transition” in Venezuela, which includes the release of political prisoners.
Featured image description: Protestors call for Maduro’s resignation in 2014 in Guatire.
Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons.
