Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González, has been released from prison, his wife reported, after being detained for over a year as part of the government's crackdown on critics and their families. Mariana González stated that her husband returned home after 380 days of unjust and arbitrary detention.
Tudares was among more than 150 detainees released following a US operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and transferred him to New York for drug trafficking charges. An NGO focused on political prisoners, Foro Penal, warns that over 700 detainees still remain imprisoned.
With Delcy Rodríguez, former vice-president, now acting as president, tensions continue to escalate in Venezuela. Rodríguez's interim government has garnered support from US President Trump, who praised the arrangement regarding Venezuelan oil deliveries to the US. The Trump administration has pushed for the release of political prisoners as a priority.
Despite the recent releases, rights groups like Foro Penal have criticized the slow pace and incomplete nature of these actions, noting that only 151 prisoners have been confirmed released since January 8. Many of those released still face charges, leaving them in legal limbo.
The imprisonment of Tudares was emblematic of the repression that followed the disputed 2024 presidential election, which saw González rise as the main challenger of Maduro. After a heavily criticized election process, González sought refuge in the Dutch embassy amid fear of arrest.
Mariana González has expressed gratitude for the support received during her husband's detainment but also reminded the public of the ongoing plight faced by many families still waiting for the release of their loved ones who have been subjected to arbitrary detention and forced disappearances.
