US urges Venezuela to release 322 remaining political prisoners

The US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Venezuela on Monday to release the political prisoners still held since US forces seized Nicolás Maduro in a military raid on Caracas on 3 January. Venezuelan prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal says 322 people remain in detention.

How many political prisoners has Venezuela released?

More than 1,000 political prisoners have been freed since US forces took Nicolás Maduro to New York, where he faces trial on drug-trafficking and torture charges. Foro Penal, which tracks detentions in the country, puts the number of people still held at 322.

What did Marco Rubio raise with Oliver Blanco?

Marco Rubio met his Venezuelan counterpart, Oliver Blanco, on Monday, according to the US State Department. The department said Rubio called for the release of the remaining detainees and discussed reforms intended to lay the groundwork for “free, fair, and credible elections”. The same statement said Washington remained committed to US President Donald Trump’s three-phase plan for Venezuela: “stabilisation, economic recovery and political reconciliation, and democratic transition”.

Why are so many people in detention?

Many of those held were arrested in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. The National Electoral Council, dominated by government loyalists, declared incumbent Nicolás Maduro the winner even though copies of the voting tallies collected by the opposition and verified by independent media suggested the opposition candidate had won. The Carter Center, which sent independent observers, said the election “could not be considered democratic”. A UN fact-finding mission found that the government then orchestrated “a harsh repression against persons perceived as political opponents or simply because they express dissent or critical views against the authorities”.

What has María Corina Machado demanded?

Releasing political prisoners has long been a demand of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 and returned to Venezuela on 25 October after almost a year in exile. One of her first meetings was with relatives of political detainees.

When could Venezuela hold new elections?

After Maduro’s seizure, his vice-president Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president. She has the backing of the Trump administration, while opposition parties inside Venezuela have been expressing impatience with the slow pace of reforms. In a televised address, Rodríguez said “there will be elections” under a “renewed” electoral authority, without giving a timeline. Rubio had told journalists a week earlier that Venezuela’s “election infrastructure” had to be replaced for fresh elections to be valid: “Not in 10 years, not in five years, not in two years; it needs to happen quickly under the timelines that we’ve established.” Machado has pushed for a vote in 2027, at one point naming 24 July 2027, the anniversary of independence hero Simón Bolívar’s birth, before returning to calls for an election at some point in the next year.

Frequently asked questions

How many political prisoners remain in Venezuela?

Foro Penal says 322 people are still detained, after more than 1,000 political prisoners were freed following the US seizure of Nicolás Maduro in a raid on Caracas on 3 January.

Who did Marco Rubio meet to discuss Venezuela?

Marco Rubio met his Venezuelan counterpart, Oliver Blanco, on Monday. The US State Department said they discussed the release of the remaining detainees and reforms aimed at preparing free, fair and credible elections.

Will Venezuela hold elections in 2027?

Interim president Delcy Rodríguez said there will be elections under a renewed electoral authority but gave no date. María Corina Machado has pushed for a vote in 2027, at one point naming 24 July 2027, and has since called for an election at some point in the next year.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)