Venezuela frees political prisoners, rights group Foro Penal says

Venezuelan authorities released a number of political prisoners in the early hours of Saturday, the rights group Foro Penal said, days after interim President Delcy Rodríguez met US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York. Venezuela’s government has not said whether the releases followed from that meeting.

Who was released in Venezuela?

Among those freed was Wilder Vasquez, who was given a five-year sentence in 2018 over claims he was plotting to kill former President Nicolás Maduro. Foro Penal confirmed the release of Miguel Castillo Cedeño, who it said had been arbitrarily detained from June 2019, and of Frank Cabañas, who rights groups say was held for nine years after being linked to the death of a police officer. Foro Penal said Cabañas was the only suspect who remained detained in that case, despite family members reporting he had health problems last year.

Gonzalo Himiob, vice-president of Foro Penal, said “a significant number” of political prisoners had been released on Saturday morning from several of Venezuela’s detention centres.

Why were the prisoners released?

Rodríguez’s administration had previously freed hundreds of prisoners under a reconciliation effort that followed the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, who was put on trial on drug charges in January. The scheme was a key concession by her government to the United States. Releases slowed to a trickle in April after Rodríguez said the programme was “coming to an end”, and Foro Penal said it was stopped with less than half of Venezuela’s political prisoners released.

Did the releases follow Rodríguez’s talks with Trump?

Delcy Rodríguez met Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, a meeting between the US president and Venezuela’s interim leader. Venezuela’s government has made no statement on the latest releases and has not indicated whether they resulted from that conversation. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a minister closely associated with Maduro’s rule, called the meeting with Trump “a great triumph of the diplomacy of peace”.

What has Delcy Rodríguez said about elections?

In her UN General Assembly speech on Thursday, Rodríguez repeated that there “will be elections in Venezuela”, having previously promised elections without setting a date. Opposition and human rights groups renewed calls for free elections after her talks with Trump.

How have opposition figures responded?

Pedro Mario Burelli, a former executive of Venezuela’s state oil company and an opposition commentator, called the two leaders “the shameless puppet and her unscrupulous and undignified puppet-master”, adding: “Little has changed in Venezuela under Washington’s clumsy and selective oversight.”

Venezuela’s 2024 elections, in which Maduro was declared the winner, were widely disputed as rigged; opposition tallies suggested their candidate, who stood after María Corina Machado was barred from running, had won 70% of the vote. The Trump administration backed Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice-president, as his successor rather than Machado after Maduro was seized and put on trial on drug charges in January.

Does Venezuela’s government admit holding political prisoners?

Rodríguez’s government continues to deny that dissidents are jailed and has cast the releases as a gesture of goodwill and reconciliation. Opposition and human rights groups say Maduro’s government used the detention of political prisoners for years to stamp out dissent and silence critics.

Frequently asked questions

How many political prisoners has Venezuela released?

Foro Penal said a “significant number” were freed on Saturday morning from several detention centres, but it has not published a total figure and the government has made no statement on the releases.

Will Venezuela hold elections?

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said in her UN General Assembly speech on Thursday there “will be elections in Venezuela”, but she did not specify when they would be held.

What happened to Nicolás Maduro?

Maduro was captured and put on trial on drug charges in January. The Trump administration then backed Delcy Rodríguez, his former vice-president, as his successor rather than opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Who is Venezuela’s interim president?

Delcy Rodríguez, a former vice-president under Nicolás Maduro, is described in the source material as Venezuela’s interim leader. She met US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

With reporting from BBC News.

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