Venezuela Releases US Citizens in Rare Prisoner Move
Venezuela has released 3 American detainees, signaling a shift amid global pressure. The move raises hope over political prisoners and US influence.
According to a U.S. State Department official, Venezuela has begun releasing several Americans who had been detained throughout the country.
The official did not confirm the identities or number of prisoners released by Venezuela, but described the move in a statement as "a significant step in the right direction by the interim authorities."
This marks the first known release of U.S. citizens since a U.S. military operation on January 3 in the capital, Caracas, targeted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife for arrest on drug trafficking charges in New York.
The United Nations says Venezuela has so far released only about 50 people, while campaigners say there are more than 800 political prisoners in the country.
The Venezuelan government, led by interim president Delcy Rodríguez, announced last week that it would begin releasing a "significant" number of people considered political prisoners as a "gesture of goodwill."
Some domestic opposition figures and at least five Spanish citizens are among those whose release has been confirmed so far.
But days later, human rights groups have criticized the slow pace of the releases. Earlier this week, the son of an imprisoned opposition leader warned U.S. President Donald Trump not to be "fooled" by Venezuela's promises.
On Monday, the government said that more than 100 such prisoners had already been released – a figure higher than the number confirmed by human rights groups or the UN, but still only a small fraction of the total number believed to be in detention.
On the same day, the UN reiterated its long-standing concerns about the country's "widespread and systematic use of arbitrary detention as a tool of repression." Relatives of those still in prison are expressing despair and anxiety, and many are keeping vigil outside the notorious El Helicoide prison in the capital, Caracas.
The move on Tuesday to release prisoners with foreign citizenship signals an attempt by Rodríguez to curry favor with the international community, and particularly the United States, even as the structures that existed under Maduro's rule remain in place after his capture.
Software Services
 |
Start your own gaming platform for just $3,000 |
The release of the American citizens comes ahead of a visit to the White House on Thursday by opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who has been making her own efforts to persuade Trump.
A source told the New York Times that at least three Americans had been released by Tuesday night. Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott, who represents Florida, thanked Trump for pressing for the prisoners' release, saying they had been "held captive for far too long by the evil Maduro regime in Venezuela."
Scott said in a social media post: "Every single prisoner still being held under Delcy Rodríguez must be released as soon as possible."
Over the weekend, Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that the process of releasing prisoners in Venezuela had begun "on a large scale."
Trump said that when he learned that Caracas was cooperating with the release of prisoners, he canceled a second wave of airstrikes on Venezuela.
These developments are being seen as the first test of Trump's influence in Venezuela after Maduro's removal.
Read Also
Human rights groups and political activists have long accused the government of using arrests to silence its critics. Officials have repeatedly denied that there are any political prisoners in Venezuela, insisting that those detained were arrested for criminal activities. Following the 2024 presidential election, several people were detained, even though Maduro claimed victory despite opponents questioning the results.
According to the United Nations, the vote lacked "basic transparency and fairness," and the U.S. called it rigged, refusing to recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader.
Previous releases of Americans detained in Venezuela have been secured through swap deals. Relatives of U.S. citizens detained in the country have said their loved ones were sometimes arrested while on private trips.
The U.S. government currently warns its citizens against traveling to the South American country due to the risk of wrongful detention.
Among those still imprisoned in Venezuela is 28-year-old James Lucky-Lange, whose aunt recently told the Washington Post that "he has no political ties to Venezuela" and is "just a kid who likes to travel."
Thank you for reading this content.
Thank you for reading this content.
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
