Venezuela Claims It Freed More Than 400 Prisoners

BOGOTA (Colombia), Jan 15 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced Wednesday that 406 political prisoners have been released to date, marking the start of a "new chapter" for the nation, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

Rodriguez said the primary goal is to "open up political spaces," and the initiative carries forward a mandate originally set by then-President Nicolas Maduro in December, during which 194 individuals were freed.

The announcement was made alongside National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

The interim government also released at least four US nationals on Tuesday, marking the first confirmed release of American detainees since the January 3 US military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

The liberation of the detainees follows a pledge by Jorge Rodriguez, a prominent leader of the ruling PSUV party, who framed the releases as a strategic gesture to alleviate the country’s high-stakes political friction.

“The decision to release some prisoners, not political prisoners, but some politicians who had broken the law and violated the Constitution, people who called for invasion, was granted,” Rodriguez told parliament.

On Wednesday, the government freed 14 journalists. The wave of releases comes as the interim administration faces mounting pressure from Washington to restore democracy and end restrictive policies on the media.

NGOs estimate that Venezuela has between 800 and 1,000 political prisoners, and reject the number of released prisoners that have been reported by the government.

Rights groups claim about 70 prisoners have been released in recent days.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU