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Venezuela is releasing a “significant number” of citizens and foreigners from its prisons in a decision that the head of the country’s parliament described as a gesture to “seek peace”.
It comes less than a week after former president Nicolás Maduro was captured by United States forces to face drug-trafficking charges in New York.
Jorge Rodríguez, brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez and speaker of the National Assembly, did not specify who they would be releasing or how many people would be released.
He mentioned that the release of prisoners “is happening right now.”
The releases are the first since Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, became interim leader, with the backing of US President Donald Trump, who said he was content to let her govern as long as Caracas gives Washington access to its plentiful oil.
The Penal Forum, a human rights organisation in Venezuela, said that as of 29 December, there were 863 people detained in Venezuela “for political reasons”.
In a post on X, director of the forum, Alfredo Romero, said the liberations were “good news” in a country that has been wracked by political turmoil in recent days.
“We will be verifying each release,” stated Romero in a written statement.
“We already know of some people on their way to freedom, including foreigners.”
The release of opposition figures and critics has been a longtime demand by Venezuela’s opposition and the US government.
Despite mass detentions following the tumultuous 2024 election, Venezuela’s government denies that there are “political prisoners” and accuse those detained of plotting to destabilise Maduro’s government.
“Consider this a gesture by the Bolivarian government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,” Rodríguez announced in a televised broadcast.
Little movement was immediately seen outside one of Venezuela’s most notable prisons, where a number of the detainees are held.
US State Department officials did not comment on whether the releases were a demand of the Trump administration.
