According to the newspaper El Nacional, among those who will be released are Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa and human rights activist Rocío San Miguel. There is also information about the possible release of former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez and Rafael Tudela, the son-in-law of the well-known politician Edmundo González Urrutia, who, according to opposition forces and international observers, effectively won against Nicolás Maduro in the last elections.
According to the human rights organization Foro Penal, there are currently about 800 political prisoners in Venezuela. Most of them were detained during protests against Nicolás Maduro's re-election in 2024. International organizations and activists accuse Venezuelan security forces of serious human rights violations.
Human rights activist Marta Tineo from Venezuela reported that prisoners are being released from the "Helicoid" prison, known for its brutal conditions and torture of opponents of the Maduro regime.It is worth noting that on January 3, Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by a unit of the American special forces "Delta" as part of the military operation "Absolute Resolve." They were taken out of Venezuela to a U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo and then to New York.
The U.S. has charged Maduro with "narcoterrorism," illegal possession of weapons, and trafficking Venezuelan diplomatic passports. In particular, he is accused of leading the criminal group Cartel de los Soles, which has previously been designated as a terrorist organization in the U.S., as well as participating in a conspiracy with Colombian drug cartels for the production and transportation of cocaine. The former president of Venezuela has denied all charges, calling them a cover for the seizure of the country's oil resources.
After Maduro's capture, the Supreme Court of Venezuela appointed Delcy Rodríguez, the vice president, as the interim head of state. She emphasized the importance of developing "balanced and respectful international relations," especially with the U.S. Just hours before this, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Rodríguez "will pay a high price" if she does not begin to cooperate with American authorities, adding that it could be "more than anything Maduro faced."
Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores declared their innocence in court in New York.
On the other hand, Venezuelan authorities reported 100 fatalities as a result of the U.S. operation.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: topwar.ru.
