Venezuelan authorities have freed Juan Pablo Guanipa, a significant political figure and supporter of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, following eight months of imprisonment, according to his son's announcement on social media. Guanipa's release is part of a sporadic process where several political prisoners have been liberated since US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.

Ramón Guanipa expressed his joy for his father's freedom but emphasized that many other Venezuelans remain unjustly incarcerated. Opposition and human rights groups have criticized Maduro's administration for employing political imprisonment as a strategy to silence dissent.

Despite promises from Venezuela's interim government regarding significant inmate releases, the pace has been slow, with only a handful of detainees released at any given time. Foro Penal, which assists political prisoners, indicates that nearly 400 individuals have regained their freedom, including Guanipa and others like Perkins Rocha and Jesús Armas.

The situation in Venezuela has worsened following a disputed presidential election in 2024 that re-elected Maduro amidst allegations of electoral manipulation. Guanipa, previously accused of terrorism and treason, sought refuge but was apprehended by the authorities in May 2025.

Initially skeptical about the interim government's actions, Ramón Guanipa revealed his determination to continue advocating for the release of political prisoners. The liberation of political prisoners aligns with US President Donald Trump’s demands for goodwill gestures from the Venezuelan government amidst ongoing dialogues about the country's political future.