A leading Venezuelan human rights group says at least 80 political prisoners have been released under pressure from the US.
Alfredo Romero, head of Foro Penal, said his group was verifying the identities of those freed from prisons across the country on Saturday - and more releases were likely to take place.
It is the latest batch of detainees released since the US seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a raid, and took him to New York to stand trial on drug-trafficking charges earlier this month.
On Friday, Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez stated that more than 600 prisoners had been freed; however, Foro Penal disputes this number, calling it inflated.
Romero announced the releases on social media and shared an image of colleague Kennedy Tejeda, who had been held in Tocorón prison since August 2024.
In a post on X, Foro Penal lawyer Gonzalo Himiob hinted that the number of releases might rise as verification continues.
Previous statements from Foro Penal indicated that many who were recently released still have unresolved charges, placing them in a state of legal limbo and prohibiting them from speaking publicly.
Before recent events, just 156 political prisoners had been confirmed released since January 8th. Among those freed are domestic opposition figures and at least five Spanish nationals.
Rodriguez has arranged a call with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, to discuss the verification of the released individuals.
Human rights organizations have accused the Venezuelan government of using detentions to silence critics, while the authorities maintain that those detained were involved in criminal activities.
Many political prisoners were apprehended after the contentious 2024 presidential election, where Maduro claimed victory against significant opposition.
