The government of Venezuela began the night of this Thursday, January 8, the release of a group of political prisoners, a measure that the head of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, presented as a “gesture of peace” aimed at promoting national coexistence.
Since the afternoon, dozens of relatives had gathered in front of prison facilities, including El Helicoide, in Caracas, awaiting an announcement that began to take place late at night.
The decision was officially announced earlier by Jorge Rodríguez, who stated: “For peaceful coexistence, the Bolivarian government together with the State institutions has decided to release a significant number of Venezuelans and foreigners.” He added that “these release processes are occurring from this very moment” without giving details of the exact number.
The measure occurs five days after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Floresin an international operation led by the United States, an event that opened a new political stage in the country under the interim leadership of Delcy Rodríguez.
The first political prisoners released
According to preliminary reports from human rights organizations, those released from prison include, until the early hours of the morning on Friday, January 9:
- José María Basoa and Andrés Martínez AdasmeBasques arrested in September 2024 and accused of planning “terrorist” acts in a context of political escalation after the arrival in Madrid of the opponent Edmundo González.
- Miguel Moreno Dapenaa Canarian journalist arrested in June after the Venezuelan interception of a marine exploration ship for “very suspicious” behavior.
- Ernesto Gorbe Cardonaarrested in December 2024 for having an expired visa. The 52-year-old Spaniard was held in El Rodeo 1 prison along with the rest of the Spaniards. He was arrested in ccity of Valencia, capital of the state of Carabobo.
- Rocío San Miguellawyer and human rights defender with dual nationality, arrested in February 2024. Organizations such as Amnesty International had warned about her delicate state of health.
- Biagio Piliericonfined in The Helicoidheadquarters of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin).
- Alejandro Rebolledo. He was a magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice. He was arrested on November 19, 2024. He was imprisoned in El Helicoide.
- Larry Osorio Chía. A 40-year-old Venezuelan, father of six children, second sergeant major of the Army, was arrested on August 6, 2021.
According to the NGO Criminal ForumTo date, as of December 29, there were at least 863 political prisoners in Venezuela, including 86 foreigners.
Although the announced release has been received as progress, organizations and relatives insist that there is still a significant number of detainees to be released.
