Venezuela released 131 political prisoners on Friday in a sign of progress in reconciliation talks following the removal of Nicolas Maduro by US forces earlier this year.
The detainees were granted “alternative measures from incarceration” under the government’s Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence, according to the interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez. Outside the El Rodeo I prison in Guatire, east of Caracas, AFP reporters witnessed tearful scenes as former prisoners reunited with their families.
US Calls Release ‘Crucial Step’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the move, calling the release “a crucial step for the nation’s reconciliation process.” He noted that since January 3, when Maduro was seized by US forces, 1,046 Venezuelans have been freed from detention.
The release came a day after opposition figure Dinorah Figuera vowed to fight for the release of remaining political prisoners in formal talks she is leading with the interim government. The first round of US-brokered talks concluded on Wednesday with both sides agreeing to work on retrieving frozen overseas funds to aid recovery from the devastating June earthquakes that killed over 6,300 people.
391 Prisoners Still Behind Bars
Among those freed was Emirlendris Benitez, who had been arrested in 2018 after drones packed with explosives flew toward Maduro during a military parade in Caracas. Benitez, then four months pregnant, was sentenced to 30 years in prison alongside her partner despite denying any involvement. Human rights groups said she was tortured during detention, leading to a miscarriage and partial paralysis.
The Foro Penal rights group confirmed at least 40 of the releases so far, including six women. However, the organization noted that as of Monday, 391 political prisoners remained behind bars. Figuera said on social media that “not everyone has been released, and they all deserve full freedom.”
Transition Talks Continue
The reconciliation process is being led by Figuera and National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez, brother of interim president Delcy Rodriguez. Notably absent from the table is exiled opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, who has said she will not stand in the way of the process.
Many Venezuelans remain hopeful that the transition talks will eventually lead to democratic elections. Maduro’s victories in the 2018 and 2024 presidential polls were rejected by the opposition and many foreign governments as fraudulent. Maduro had led Venezuela since 2013 with an increasingly authoritarian approach, widely accused of arresting political opponents on fabricated charges.
Sources: France24; Al Jazeera; AFP; Foro Penal
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