Venezuela frees ۳۹ political prisoners after post-Maduro talks

The releases follow a second round of negotiations between Venezuela’s interim government and the opposition.

More than three dozen political prisoners have been released in Venezuela following a second round of talks backed by Washington between the country’s interim government and the opposition.

Human rights group Justicia, Encuentro y Perdon (JEP) said ۳۹ political dissidents were freed between Friday and Saturday from various prisons, including eight women accused of “narco-terrorism” in ۲۰۲۱ and six people accused of working with the United States in a ۲۰۲۰ attempt to overthrow former President Nicolas Maduro.

“We will remain vigilant and continue to demand full freedom for all those who are still waiting,” JEP said in a statement on X.

The releases followed a second round of negotiations on Friday between the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s former vice president, and the opposition, held with US approval since Washington’s military removal of Maduro in January.

A first round of talks in August focused on retrieving Venezuelan funds frozen overseas to help recovery from June’s earthquakes, which killed more than ۶,۳۰۰ people, and on reforming the judiciary.

Rodriguez enacted an amnesty law in February under US pressure, though the pace of releases has been slow.

Foro Penal, a rights group that tracks political detentions, said ۳۴۴ people remained classified as political prisoners as of September ۱۸, down from ۳۹۱ on August ۱۰, when the government said it had freed ۱۳۱ people under a separate “alternative measures” programme.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time that more than ۱,۰۰۰ Venezuelans had been released since Maduro’s removal, calling it “a crucial step” for the country’s reconciliation.

Families of political prisoners have staged ongoing protests outside the US embassy in Caracas and the El Rodeo I prison, which rights groups consider a torture centre.