Venezuela Releases Dozens of Political Prisoners After Dialogue Round

Venezuelan authorities released a new group of political prisoners between Friday night and Saturday, following the conclusion of the second round of dialogue between the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez and the opposition under U.S. auspices. The talks progressed after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation in January.

NGO Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón verified the direct release of 29 detainees from various detention centers, including eight women accused of "narcoterrorism" in 2021. Foro Penal, which tracked 344 political prisoners as of September 18, confirmed over 20 releases and is verifying each case.

“We have been able to directly verify that 29 people have left prison.”

Among those freed are six individuals linked to "Operation Gedeón," including Josnars Baduel, son of former Defense Minister Raúl Isaías Baduel. Frank Cabañas, detained at El Rodeo IV and connected to the 2018 Óscar Pérez case, and Miguel Castillo Cedeño, held at Ramo Verde since June 2019, were also released.

Families and rights defenders urge that the situation of remaining political prisoners be addressed at the negotiating table. Provea coordinator Oscar Murillo demanded the release of all unjustly detained persons and guarantees for their rights.

Separately, digital rights group VE Sin Filtro reported 66 domain unblockings across at least one provider, though 149 websites remain restricted. Outlets such as TalCual, El Nacional, and The Wall Street Journal are among those newly accessible.