Venezuela Announces Release of Numerous Political Prisoners

On Thursday, Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and brother of the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that a 'significant number of people,' including both Venezuelans and foreigners, would be released, without specifying the number or conditions. 'We remain vigilant, awaiting new releases until the freedom of all is achieved,' expressed the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD). So far, the government has not published an official list detailing the number and names of those released. Among them are opposition figures Biagio Pilieri and Enrique Márquez, as well as Spanish citizens Andrés Martínez Adasme, José María Basoa, Miguel Moreno Dapena, and Ernesto Gorbe Cardona, alongside activist Rocío San Miguel. 'We demand that the release processes be accelerated so that the suffering of political prisoners and their families finally ceases,' stated the PUD. The NGO Foro Penal, which counts over 800 political prisoners, also confirmed the release of Italian-Venezuelan citizen Antonio Gerardo Buzzetta Pacheco, who was 'arbitrarily detained' since September 30, 2024. On Friday evening, families of political prisoners organized vigils outside various detention centers, awaiting releases and demanding that authorities 'fulfill the commitment assumed with the liberation' of these individuals. On the same social media platform, Foro Penal president Alfredo Romero noted that Corredor 'had been in prison since July 13, 2023.' 'We continue to raise our voices for the freedom of all political prisoners,' added the committee. Non-governmental organizations and opposition reported on Saturday the release of three more political prisoners, as part of the process to release a 'significant number' of detainees announced by authorities on Thursday, although NGOs have so far registered a figure lower than 20. According to the organizations, those released included Virgilio Laverde, youth coordinator of the Vente Venezuela (VV) party—led by Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado—in the southern, border state of Bolívar, and Didelis Raquel Corredor, who was the assistant to opposition activist and also detained Roland Carreño. The largest opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), stated on X that by 11:00 local time (15:00) on Saturday, January 10, it counted 17 released political prisoners. The VV Human Rights Committee indicated on X that Laverde had been imprisoned since August 15, 2024, when the young man was detained by 'CICPC (Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigations Corps)' officials amidst the crisis triggered by the controversial proclamation of Nicolás Maduro as re-elected president in July's elections. This Saturday also marks one week since the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces, during a series of attacks in Caracas and three states near the capital. 'He should never have been behind bars! Today, after more than a year and four months, he can finally reunite with his family.'