Opposition Members Are Being Released from Venezuelan Prisons

According to Deutsche Welle, the exact number of those released and their names have not yet been disclosed. However, as reported by the newspaper El Nacional, among those released will be Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa and human rights activist Rocío San Miguel. The possibility of the release of former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez and Rafael Tudela, as well as the son-in-law of politician Edmundo González Urrutia, who, according to the opposition and international observers, actually won against Nicolás Maduro in the last elections, is also being discussed.

The human rights organization Foro Penal reports that there are currently about 800 political prisoners in Venezuelan jails, many of whom were arrested during protests against Maduro's re-election in 2024. Global organizations and human rights advocates accuse the Venezuelan authorities of serious human rights violations.

Marta Tineo, a Venezuelan human rights activist, emphasized that prisoners are being released from the "Helicoid" prison, known for its brutal conditions and torture of regime opponents.

It is worth recalling that on January 3, Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured during a military operation "Absolute Resolve" by the American special forces unit "Delta." They were taken out of Venezuela to a U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo and then transported to New York.

According to official charges, Maduro is accused of "narcoterrorism," illegal possession of weapons, and trafficking in diplomatic passports. He is alleged to have led the criminal group Cartel de los Soles, previously designated as a terrorist organization in the U.S., as well as participating in a conspiracy with Colombian drug cartels. Maduro denies all charges, claiming that they are a pretext for gaining access to Venezuela's oil resources.

After the U.S. attack, the Supreme Court of Venezuela appointed Delcy Rodríguez as the interim head of state. In her new role, she stated the need to develop balanced international relations, especially with the U.S. Just hours before this, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Rodríguez that she would have to "pay a high price" if she did not cooperate with American authorities.

In court in New York, Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores declared their innocence.

In response to U.S. actions, Venezuelan authorities reported 100 fatalities as a result of the operation.

Photo on the main page is illustrative: topwar.ru.