Venezuela Releases Dozens of Political Prisoners Amid Calls for Free Elections
Caracas has freed a significant number of detainees that many rights groups have described as political prisoners, following a meeting between interim President Delcy Rodriguez and US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly. The early‑morning releases included former opposition suspect Wilder Vasquez, who was sentenced to five years in 2018 on allegations of plotting to kill former President Nicolas Maduro.
The move comes after the interim administration previously rolled out a large‑scale release of inmates as part of a reconciliation effort after the ouster of Maduro. However, in April the government said the scheme was “coming to an end,” causing a sharp drop in the number of releases. The latest wave was not announced by Venezuelan officials and is being linked by several human‑rights organisations to the talks with Washington.
Rights group Foro Penal confirmed that several individuals—Miguel Castillo Cedeño, who had been jailed since 2019, and Frank Cabañas, imprisoned for nine years for allegedly killing a police officer—were freed Saturday. The organization described the action as a significant step toward addressing the country’s human‑rights record.
Supporters of the interim government argue that the releases signal a willingness to allow dissent and to improve relations with the United States. Opponents view the gesture as a face‑saving move that fails to address the need for transparent elections and for ongoing accountability of those who have used the law to silence critics.
The Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello praised the meeting with Trump as a “great triumph of the diplomacy of peace,” while opposition commentators highlighted the continued lack of a clear timetable for elections that would include opposition leaders such as Maria Corina Machado. Rodriguez’s UN speech promised elections without specifying a schedule, a vagueness that has drawn criticism from many observers.
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