This Saturday, November 16, the release of more than 70 political prisoners, detained after the elections of July 28, took place. Political leaders of the different opposition parties in Venezuela celebrated the measure and stressed that “They should never have been imprisoned.”
Delsa Solórzano, Juan Pablo Guanipa, Henrique Capriles, Alfredo Ramos and Andrés Velásquez are some of the political leaders who have spoken out about the release of political prisoners, detained after the July 28 elections, held since the early hours of this Saturday, the 16th. November.
The non-governmental organizations (NGO) Penal Forum, Venezuelan Prisons Observatory (OVP) and the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners confirmed the release of several political prisoners held in the Yare III prisons, La Crisálida Training Center for Female Prosecuted Women ( Miranda state), Tocorón (Aragua) and Tocuyito (Carabobo).
According to Alfredo Romero, director of the Penal Forum, until 1:15 in the afternoon this Saturday there were at least 70 political prisoners released.
«My hug to the political prisoners who have been released today. They should not have spent a minute in detention for defending the popular sovereignty expressed on July 28. “We continue fighting for the liberation of all,” Juan Pablo Guanipa, political leader of the Primero Justicia party, wrote in his X account.
While Andrés Velasquez, leader of La Causa R, noted: «Heartbreaking and exciting scenes at the reunion for the liberation of those kidnapped by the dictatorship and their families. They should never have been imprisoned. “We have to keep up the pressure.”
They should never have been imprisoned or kidnapped by Maduro’s opprobrious regime, because they did not commit crimes. After being accused in rigged trials of being terrorists, traitors to the country, and criminal association, today a group of political prisoners were released. It is worthy… pic.twitter.com/s2QwZjIm25
— Alfredo Ramos (@AlfredoARamos) November 16, 2024
“There are many” political prisoners
The former governor of Miranda Henrique Capriles He recalled that “there are still many detainees for the sole reason of being opponents. There are not only 225, there are around 2000 that must be released. We must continue to be the voice of those who remain behind bars, going through the darkest moments of their lives. They are innocent!
The president of the Encuentro Ciudadano party, Delsa Solorzanoalso noted that until November 13, there were nearly 2,000 political prisoners in the country.
«According to figures from the Penal Forum in Venezuela there are close to 2,000 political prisoners. None of them should be behind bars. Everyone deserves freedom. We are glad that some are being released and can finally hug their families. But, this does not erase the pain of what was suffered, much less the fact of the unjust imprisonment. There will be justice in Venezuela when there is not a single more political prisoner,” he wrote on his account on X.
According to the most recent report from the Penal Forum, until November 13, 2023, in Venezuela the number of political prisoners reaches 1,976.
The general coordinator of Provea, Óscar Murillo, also spoke about the measure, ensuring that “today’s releases confirm the political motivation of the arrests after 28J.”
The release of a group of Venezuelans puts an end to arbitrary confinement under deplorable detention conditions.
Returning home to their families is, without a doubt, a relief amid so much suffering.
Let’s continue demanding the #FreeForAll
and one…— Oscar Murillo (@oscarfmurillo) November 16, 2024
This Saturday’s releases come after the Attorney General’s Office promised to accelerate the criminal proceedings against the adolescents and young people detained after July 28, and after the ruler Nicolás Maduro requested to “rectify” if there were errors in the arrests during the post-election protests.
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