Venezuela releases 80 political prisoners under US pressure
In a move reflecting the rapid political shifts in Caracas, Venezuelan at least 80 political prisoners on Sunday as part of a phased release process under intense pressure from the United States . The human rights NGO Foro Penal confirmed these developments, noting that the process is ongoing.
Alfredo Romero, the organization's director, stated via the X platform: "We have confirmed the release of 80 political prisoners across the country today, and we are continuing to verify the cases. We are likely to see additional releases in the coming hours." For his part, lawyer Gonzalo Himiope, a member of the same organization, explained that the releases took place overnight, emphasizing that the numbers are expected to rise as the verification process is completed.
Conflicting figures and human rights pressures
This breakthrough in human rights comes after Delcy Rodríguez assumed power as interim president following the dramatic events of January 3rd, when Nicolás Maduro was arrested. From her first day in office on January 5th, Rodríguez pledged to open a new chapter, including the release of a large number of political prisoners, in response to international and domestic demands.
Despite the government's official announcement of the release of 626 political prisoners since last December, these figures are met with skepticism from human rights organizations. Statistics from Foro Penal indicate that the actual number is no more than half the official figure, raising questions about the transparency of government procedures in this sensitive matter. Families of the detainees continue their sit-in protest in front of the prisons, sleeping on the ground, awaiting the moment they will be reunited with their loved ones.
The roots of the crisis and its historical background
These developments cannot be separated from the broader context of the crisis that gripped Venezuela in 2014, when the country witnessed widespread protests following Nicolás Maduro's declared victory in a presidential election deemed fraudulent by the opposition and the international community. The security crackdown at the time resulted in the arrest of approximately 2,400 people and the deaths of 28 others, further deepening the country's international isolation.
The Venezuelan opposition insists to this day that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, is the legitimate winner of those elections, accusing the National Electoral Council of collusion and of not publishing the detailed results under the pretext of a cyberattack, a narrative that has not convinced international observers.
Economic and geopolitical dimensions
The current releases have acquired strategic importance that transcends the humanitarian dimension, as they are closely linked to the new government's efforts to reintegrate Venezuela into the global economic system. Delcy Rodríguez has already begun signing new oil agreements with the United States, in parallel with initiating legislative reforms aimed at liberalizing the hydrocarbons sector.
Venezuelan oil is a valuable asset that Washington seeks to ensure continues flowing to global markets to stabilize prices. This explains the current US flexibility and its ongoing pressure to achieve progress on human rights as a prerequisite for lifting sanctions and fully normalizing economic relations. The new administration in Caracas hopes that these understandings with the opposition and the United States will end years of economic collapse and hyperinflation that have plagued the Venezuelan people.
