Ongoing Allegations of Torture in Venezuela Following Maduro's Ousting

Mon Mar 16 2026 20:48:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Reports of continued torture of detainees under Venezuela's new regime raise concerns, despite recent amnesty laws aimed at reducing the political prisoners population.

The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights has raised alarms over continued reports of detainee torture in Venezuela, even after Nicolás Maduro's ousting and the establishment of an amnesty for political prisoners. While the Venezuelan parliament claims over 7,700 individuals have regained freedom, human rights organizations confirm a much lower number of releases and warn that many remain unjustly detained.

The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed deep concerns over reports alleging that detainees in Venezuela are still being subjected to torture following the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces in January. Despite Maduro's removal and the replacement of leadership by his ally Delcy Rodríguez, the issue of human rights violations persists.

Türk has welcomed the new amnesty law introduced by Rodríguez but cautioned that structural and systemic human rights concerns have persisted in the country. He emphasized that many Venezuelans remain in arbitrary detention, including a child, despite the amnesty provisions passed last month.

Last week, the Venezuelan parliament, predominantly comprised of Maduro loyalists, claimed that over 7,700 people had been granted full freedom under the amnesty. However, discrepancy in numbers arises as human rights organizations like Foro Penal confirmed that only fewer than 700 detainees had been released. Furthermore, they assert that more than 500 individuals remain imprisoned for politically motivated reasons.

Türk has called for increased transparency from Venezuelan authorities regarding the alleged torture in detention centers, including Rodeo 1 and Fuerte Guaicaipuro, urging the Venezuelan government to provide an official list of those released and grant unfettered access to various detention facilities.

Reports have indicated that the UN Human Rights Council continues to receive direct testimony regarding human rights abuses that allegedly transpired even after January 3rd. The independent international fact-finding mission on Venezuela has stated that systematic violations of human rights, such as torture and sexual violence, have been documented in detention centers.