Venezuela has released 39 political prisoners following a second round of negotiations between the interim government and the opposition. The releases occurred between Friday and Saturday and were confirmed by the human rights group Justicia, Encuentro y Perdon (JEP). Among those freed are eight women accused of 'narco-terrorism' in 2021 and six individuals linked to a 2020 attempt to overthrow former President Nicolas Maduro. JEP stated, 'We will remain vigilant and continue to demand full freedom for all those who are still waiting.'
The negotiations took place with the approval of the United States, following the military removal of Maduro in January. A previous round of talks in August focused on retrieving Venezuelan funds frozen overseas to aid recovery from earthquakes in June that resulted in over 6,300 fatalities, as well as judicial reforms.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who previously served as Maduro's vice president, enacted an amnesty law in February under pressure from the US, although the pace of prisoner releases has been slow. According to Foro Penal, a rights organization that monitors political detentions, 344 individuals were classified as political prisoners as of September 18, a decrease from 391 on August 10, when the government reported the release of 131 people under a separate program for 'alternative measures.'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that over 1,000 Venezuelans had been released since Maduro's removal, describing it as 'a crucial step' toward reconciliation in the country. Families of political prisoners have been protesting outside the US embassy in Caracas and the El Rodeo I prison, which rights groups have labeled a torture center.