Venezuela on Monday announced the release of dozens more political prisoners, a move that rights groups questioned as families clamored for speedier action following the US-backed ouster of long-term autocrat Nicolás Maduro.
The interim government in Caracas, under President Delcy Rodríguez—a longtime Maduro ally—has been under mounting pressure from Washington to free individuals jailed during and after the disputed 2024 re-election. Many of those imprisoned participated in protests challenging Maduro’s contested victory.
Since last week, relatives have been camped outside prisons, growing increasingly restless as their loved ones failed to appear. The government stated that 116 political prisoners had been released in recent hours, but opposition groups and human rights organizations reported significantly lower numbers. An AFP tally, compiled from NGOs and opposition sources, indicated that roughly 50 individuals had been freed since Thursday. Human rights groups estimate that between 800 and 1,200 political prisoners remain in Venezuela.
Rodríguez has been engaged in delicate negotiations with Washington, which seeks access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. US envoys visited Caracas on Friday to discuss reopening the American embassy, severed for seven years after the breakdown of diplomatic ties. On Sunday, former President Donald Trump signaled he was open to a meeting with Rodríguez, noting that his administration was working “really well” with hers.
Over the weekend, Trump celebrated the initial releases, saying he hoped the freed prisoners “will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done.” Yet, a UN fact-finding mission cautioned that the number of people freed so far “falls far short of Venezuela’s international human rights obligations.” Caracas authorities said reviews of prisoner files are ongoing.
The slow pace of releases has fueled frustration among families. Around 40 relatives remained camped outside El Rodeo prison, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Caracas, on Monday. Rights NGO Foro Penal reported that 15 people had been released from the facility, though families said the freed prisoners were quietly taken through back exits, preventing reunions.
“Other families are telling us that they’re taken to a place near El Rodeo, asked to remove their uniforms, given civilian clothes, and even sprayed with perfume,” said Daniela Camacho, who has been waiting for her husband, Jose Daniel Mendoza. Mendoza’s father, Manuel, drove six hours to be at the prison and voiced his impatience. “We simply ask that they keep their word. It’s already been four nights waiting out in the open air, suffering,” he said.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado, a vocal critic of Maduro, met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday to request his “intercession” on behalf of political prisoners. Machado emphasized the “legitimacy” of opposition figure Edmundo González Urrutia, widely regarded by the opposition and international community as the rightful winner of the 2024 presidential election—a race from which institutions loyal to Maduro barred her from participating.
“With the accompaniment of the Church and the unprecedented pressure from the United States government, the defeat of evil in the country is closer,” Machado said in a statement posted to X. She is expected to travel to Washington this week for meetings with Trump.
Last year, Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which she dedicated to Trump. However, many were surprised by his rejection of her as interim leader after Maduro’s removal. Meanwhile, Pope Leo called for Venezuela’s sovereignty to be respected in a speech to diplomats last week, reflecting international concern over the nation’s political transition.
As Venezuela navigates this sensitive period, the pace and transparency of political prisoner releases remain a litmus test for the interim government’s commitment to human rights and for the credibility of negotiations with Washington. Families and rights groups alike continue to press for a swifter resolution, underscoring the human stakes of the country’s unfolding political shift.
