Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Wednesday that her government will continue releasing prisoners detained under former President Nicolás Maduro, calling it part of a “new political moment” since his ouster by the United States earlier this month.
Rodríguez opened her first press briefing since Maduro’s arrest with a conciliatory tone, pledging that the release process “has not yet concluded.” A Venezuelan human rights group estimates around 800 political prisoners remain detained.
The 56-year-old lawyer emphasised a “Venezuela that opens itself to a new political moment, that allows for ... political and ideological diversity,” signalling a shift from Maduro-era rhetoric.
Rodríguez warned that “crimes related to the constitutional order are being evaluated” and stressed strict enforcement of the law, sending a message that messages of hatred, intolerance, and violence would not be permitted.
Venezuelan politician and journalist Roland Carreno was one of those freed on Wednesday (14 January).
So far, 72 political prisoners have been released, according to rights group Foro Penal. Acting President Delcy Rodriquez said later on Wednesday that 406 people had been released, though it was unclear what time period she was referring to or whether those included planned releases.
"Crimes related to constitutional order, hate crimes, violence and intolerance are being evaluated (for planned releases)," Rodriguez told journalists.
Crimes such as homicide and drug trafficking will be excluded from eligibility, she added.
Many of those the opposition and rights groups consider to be political prisoners are accused of crimes such as treason and acts of violence, which they deny.
Those released include Spaniards, Americans and a Peruvian, according to each country's government. The U.S. State Department celebrated the move on Tuesday, but did not confirm how many Americans were released or their identities.
The release of political prisoners in the South American country is a long-running demand of rights groups, international bodies and opposition figures, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who has several close allies imprisoned.
She was joined by her brother and National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, as well as hard-line Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who she said is coordinating the prisoner releases. Critics have said the process is slow and secretive.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 30 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in Europe.
Passengers restrained a flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot and tried to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
Passengers restrained a flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot and tried to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
Three Pakistani sailors are among five crew members killed after a tanker hijacked by pirates off Somalia was recovered by Puntland security forces following more than five months in captivity.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev discussed closer bilateral ties and the implementation of existing agreements during a meeting in Tehran.
The war between Iran and the U.S. is creating a widening security challenge for Saudi Arabia, stretching from Yemen’s Red Sea coast to Iraq as the Houthis emerge as a growing source of pressure on the kingdom.
North Korea has dismissed as a “farce” Seoul’s claim that Pyongyang was responsible for a landmine explosion south of the Military Demarcation Line that injured three South Korean soldiers.
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