over-600-political-prisoners-freed-venezuelan-interim-president

Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, announced on Friday that more than 600 political prisoners have been released so far as part of the government’s efforts to restore stability in the country.

Dismissing criticism from human rights groups, she said as many as 626 inmates have been freed since December 2025, and said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is welcome to verify the figures independently.

Prominent Venezuelan rights organisation, Foro Penal, has reported that it could verify the release of only 155 political prisoners, most of whom were freed after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s capture by the US forces on January 3 this year. Over 700 political prisoners remain in facilities nationwide, the group claimed, adding that the infamous ‘Helicoide headquarters’ – described by lawyers as a ‘torture centre’ – continues to hold a significant number of detainees.

It also warned that the gradual “drip-feed” release of prisoners is fuelling resentment among families of those still being held.

The interim government led by Rodríguez has acknowledged that hundreds of people were detained following the 2024 anti-Maduro protests, but that arrangements were being made to release them. US President Donald Trump also praised Rodríguez’s leadership as being “very strong”, while he accelerates efforts to open Venezuela’s oil sector to private investment.

 

Also Read: Venezuela’s interim president to visit US: Officials

On Friday, thousands of “Chavismo” supporters (anti-US socialist doctrine pioneered by Hugo Chávez) marched through the city of Caracas. Adriana Abreu, wife of detained opposition activist, Guillermo López (arrested in 2023), said her husband is forced to go missing from the life of their son, who is only four.

Abreu is aligned with the opposition party led by Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado.

Meanwhile, Maduro and his wife remain in custody in a New York detention facility, facing trial on charges of leading the Cartel de los Soles drug-trafficking network and illegal possession of machine guns.