The Venezuelan government announced on Thursday, January 8, the release of a "significant number" of prisoners, including well-known opposition figures and foreign citizens. Details such as the number and names of those released have not yet been disclosed, according to the dpa agency. The Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed that among those released are five Spanish citizens.
According to the newspaper El Nacional, among those released may be Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa and human rights activist Rocio San-Miguel. There is also mention of the possibility of former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez being released, as well as Rafael Tudela, the son-in-law of politician Edmundo González Urrutia, who, according to opposition views and international observers, actually won against Nicolás Maduro in the last elections.
The situation of political prisoners in Venezuela
According to the human rights group Foro Penal, more than 800 people are being held as political prisoners in Venezuela. Many of them were arrested during protests against Nicolás Maduro's re-election in 2024. International organizations and human rights defenders accuse the Venezuelan authorities of serious human rights violations.
Human rights activist Marta Tineo reported that prisoners are being released from the "Helicoid" prison, known for its brutal conditions and torture of opponents of the Maduro regime.
Reaction to the release of political prisoners
The leader of the Venezuelan opposition and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado welcomed the decision to release political prisoners. She previously characterized the new Venezuelan government under Delcy Rodríguez as "temporary" and praised U.S. President Donald Trump for actions to capture Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, calling it "a significant step for humanity, freedom, and human dignity."
