Venezuela's government has announced the release of 99 individuals it says were detained for involvement in protests following the country's contentious 2024 presidential election. The move, framed by the regime of Nicolás Maduro as a gesture of peace and "unrestricted respect for human rights," comes as the South American nation faces escalating military and economic pressure from the United States.
A Release Amid International Pressure
The government stated the release occurred in the early hours of Christmas Day. It described those freed as "citizens who were deprived of their liberty for their participation in acts of violence and incitement to hatred" after the electoral process on 28 July 2024. This election was widely condemned by the international community, with the opposition and independent observers asserting it was stolen by Maduro, who controls the nation's electoral and state institutions.
Maduro's administration linked its decision directly to the current geopolitical climate, characterising it as a response to what it calls an "imperialist siege and multilateral aggression" by Washington. This follows a significant US military build-up, including the deployment of approximately 15,000 troops and a major naval fleet near Venezuela's coast. Recent weeks have seen intensified actions, such as a "total blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers, the seizure of vessels, and airstrikes on boats that have reportedly killed 105 people in the Caribbean and Pacific.
NGOs Urge Caution Over 'Selective' Freedoms
Civil society organisations and human rights groups have reacted to the news with profound scepticism. They stress that the releases are a drop in the ocean, given that an estimated 900 to 1,000 political prisoners are still believed to be held in Venezuelan detention centres. The regime consistently refuses to acknowledge the existence of political prisoners.
The NGO Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón stated that the "selective and discretionary nature of these releases confirms that deprivation of liberty has been used as an instrument of political persecution." While acknowledging the positive impact on the lives of those freed, the group labelled the move "clearly insufficient."
Furthermore, details suggest the release did not include high-profile opposition figures. Notable absences include the 17-year-old Gabriel José Rodríguez Méndez, who was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison on terrorism charges for participating in post-election protests—making him the first teenager convicted under such statutes. The opposition's leadership is also decimated, with figures like leader María Corina Machado in temporary exile and the declared election winner, retired diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, now living in Spain.
Conditional Liberty and Unverified Numbers
Adding to concerns, the Committee for the Freedom of Social Fighters and Political Prisoners indicated that most of the 99 released would not enjoy full freedom. Instead, they will remain under "conditional" liberty, subject to stringent precautionary measures. These can include travel bans, obligations to report regularly to the courts, and restrictions on speaking to the media about their cases.
Several organisations have also pointed out that they have not yet been able to independently verify the government's claim that exactly 99 people were freed, suggesting the true number may be lower. This announcement follows a period of heightened internal repression, with recent arrests targeting a political scientist, an activist, and several union leaders.
The vigil held in Caracas on 8 August 2024, where a man held a candle and a sign pleading for his brother's release, symbolises the ongoing anguish of hundreds of families. For them, the release of 99 individuals offers limited solace while the vast machinery of political imprisonment in Venezuela remains fully operational.
