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Venezuela has announced the release of over 100 prisoners detained under Nicolás Maduro’s presidency.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Venezuela has a long history of detaining political prisoners as a tool to crush dissent, with thousands of protesters, students, journalists, police officers, and opposition activists arrested under an increasingly authoritarian system. Human rights groups estimate that between 800 and 1,200 political prisoners are currently held across the country, many of whom have faced torture while in custody. Advocacy organizations such as Foro Penal report that some detainees have died in detention, including individuals arrested simply for criticizing the government, fueling accusations that the state has committed systematic human rights abuses and crimes against humanity.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro, with the government stating that at least 116 detainees have been freed. Many of the releases were announced as part of a broader pledge by interim authorities to free those jailed under Maduro’s presidency, though rights organizations like Foro Penal insist that only 41 people have been confirmed released so far.
President Trump has publicly celebrated the releases, saying Venezuela has “started the process, in a BIG WAY, of releasing their political prisoners” and expressing hope that those freed “will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done,” framing the move as part of US influence over Venezuela’s transition. Trump also announced that he had canceled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela after what he described as increased cooperation from the interim government.
The release campaign has unfolded amid mixed signals from Venezuela’s new interim government, led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has overseen the release of political prisoners while simultaneously condemning Maduro’s capture by the United States. While some actions by her administration, like the prisoner releases, have been interpreted in Washington as cooperation, Rodríguez has also insisted that “we will not rest until we have President Maduro back; we are going to rescue him,” making clear that despite gestures toward reconciliation, the interim leadership still views Maduro as the legitimate leader and is committed to his return.
