Venezuela Announces Release of 131 Prisoners Amid Political Negotiations

Venezuela announced on Friday the release of 131 prisoners, a move described by some sources as a sign of progress in U.S. sponsored negotiations between the opposition and the government. While the government referred to the move as the granting of alternative measures to deprivation of liberty for those accused of crimes, the opposition and international observers characterized them as political prisoners. The NGO Foro Penal confirmed the effective release of 64 political prisoners, noting that the organization had previously counted 391 such detainees in the country. Among those released was Emirlendris Benitez, a woman previously sentenced to 30 years for her alleged role in a drone attack against Nicolas Maduro. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the releases a crucial step toward national reconciliation.

Reports on the broader political context vary. One center source states that the releases follow the capture of Nicolas Maduro by US Armed Forces in a military operation. Another center left source reports that the government and opposition reached an agreement to reform the judicial system, which includes replacing all Supreme Court judges. According to this source, the negotiations involved Jorge Rodriguez for the government and Dinorah Figuera for the opposition, with US support but without the participation of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The center left source further notes that the released prisoners did not receive full freedom, as some must report to court and are barred from leaving Venezuela.