Venezuela has liberated dozens of political prisoners after interim leader Delcy Rodríguez met U.S. President Donald Trump at the United Nations. The releases, announced in the early hours of Saturday, were part of a reconciliation scheme that stalled in April when Rodríguez said it was ending.
Human‑rights groups report that the freed detainees include individuals who had been held for years, from those accused of plotting against former president Nicolás Maduro to others detained on questionable charges. While the government frames the releases as a gesture of goodwill, critics argue that less than half of Venezuela’s political prisoners have been freed and the true motive is to placate Washington while maintaining control over dissent.
The move comes at a time when opposition factions are demanding free and fair elections, citing allegations that Maduro’s 2024 victory was rigged. They view the prisoner‑release scheme more as a political signal than a substantive step toward democratic restoration.
