Venezuela is releasing a “significant number” of citizens and foreigners from its prisons in a decision that the head of the country’s parliament described as a gesture to “seek peace” less than a week after former president Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces to face drug-trafficking charges in New York.
Jorge Rodríguez, brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez and Speaker of the National Assembly, did not specify who they would be releasing or how many people would be released.
But he said the release of prisoners “is happening right now”.
The Penal Forum, a human rights organisation in Venezuela, said that as of December 29, 2025, there were 863 people detained in Venezuela “for political reasons”.
In a post on X, director of the forum, Alfredo Romero, said the liberations were “good news” in a country that has been wracked by political turmoil in recent days.
“We will be verifying each release,” Romero wrote.
“We already know of some people on their way to freedom, including foreigners.”
The release of opposition figures and critics has been a longtime demand by Venezuela’s opposition and the United States government.
Despite mass detentions following the tumultuous 2024 election, Venezuela’s government denies that there are “political prisoners” and accuse those detained of plotting to destabilise Maduro’s government.
“Consider this a gesture by the Bolivarian government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,” Rodríguez said in an announcement publicised over TV.
Little movement was immediately seen outside one of Venezuela’s most notable prisons, where a number of the detainees are held.
