A leading Venezuelan human rights group says at least 80 political prisoners have been released under pressure from the US.
Alfredo Romero, head of Foro Penal, stated that his group was verifying the identities of those freed from prisons across the country on Saturday, noting that more releases were likely to follow.
This is part of a series of releases since an incident earlier this month where the US detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug trafficking charges in New York.
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez mentioned that more than 600 prisoners had been freed, a claim Foro Penal argues is inflated.
Romero confirmed the releases through social media, sharing updates including images of colleagues previously held in jails.
Foro Penal's lawyer Gonzalo Himiob commented that the number of releases might surpass 80 as verification continues.
Despite the releases, many detainees still face unresolved legal issues and restrictions on public speaking.
Prior to this weekend, Foro Penal confirmed 156 political prisoner releases since January 8. Among the released are domestic opposition figures and five Spanish nationals.
Rodriguez also plans to communicate with the UN Human Rights Commissioner to verify the lists of released individuals.
This development comes amidst long-standing accusations against the Venezuelan government for using detentions as a means to silence dissenters. The government denies these claims, arguing those arrested were involved in criminal activities.
The situation escalated following the contested presidential elections in 2024, leading to further detentions amid disputes over Maduro's victory.
