Venezuela releases dozens of political prisoners as calls for elections intensify

Venezuelan authorities released a significant number of political prisoners from several detention centres on Saturday morning, Foro Penal vice-president Gonzalo Himiob said. The government has not confirmed the releases or said whether they followed interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s meeting with Donald Trump.

Those freed included Wilder Vasquez, who was serving a five-year sentence imposed in 2018 over allegations that he plotted to kill former President Nicolás Maduro. Foro Penal also confirmed the release of Miguel Castillo Cedeño, detained since June 2019, and Frank Cabañas, who rights groups say had spent nine years in prison.

Releases follow a pause in the scheme

Rodríguez’s administration had previously freed hundreds of prisoners as part of a reconciliation programme after Maduro was removed. The process slowed sharply in April, after Rodríguez said the programme was “coming to an end”.

Foro Penal said the scheme was halted with fewer than half of Venezuela’s political prisoners released. Rodríguez’s government denies that dissidents are being held as political prisoners and describes the releases as an act of goodwill and reconciliation.

Trump meeting renews election demands

Rodríguez met Trump in New York on Tuesday during the UN General Assembly. Opposition and human rights groups subsequently renewed demands for free elections.

In a UN General Assembly speech on Thursday, Rodríguez said there “will be elections” in Venezuela but gave no date. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called her meeting with Trump “a great triumph of the diplomacy of peace”, while opposition figures criticised the talks.

Venezuela’s last elections were held in 2024. Maduro’s declared victory was widely disputed, with opposition tallies saying their candidate won 70% of the vote. Maduro was seized and put on trial on drug charges in January; the Trump administration then backed Rodríguez, his former vice-president, as his successor rather than opposition leader María Corina Machado.