Venezuela begins releasing political detainees

Venezuela.- Venezuela has begun releasing a “significant number” of people detained for political reasons, including foreign nationals, the head of the country’s legislature announced this Thursday. The move marks the first such releases under interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after a U.S. military operation earlier this month that captured former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both now facing federal charges in New York.

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and brother of Delcy Rodríguez, said the releases are already underway but did not specify how many people will be freed or provide other details. He described the action as a “unilateral gesture” by the Bolivarian government aimed at peaceful coexistence, involving the coordinated effort of state institutions.

Rodríguez also acknowledged the support of international figures including former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and representatives from Qatar in responding to the interim president’s call, though he stressed that the decision to release detainees was made independently by the Venezuelan government.

Human rights organizations report that Venezuela has hundreds of people imprisoned for political reasons, with the group Foro Penal estimating around 863 political detainees as of late December 2025 — including both Venezuelans and foreign nationals — a situation that has drawn long-standing domestic and international criticism.