Venezuela has begun releasing an 'important number' of political detainees, including Spanish-Venezuelan activist Rocio San Miguel, in a move the government says is aimed at 'consolidating peace'. The releases come five days after the US seized President Nicolás Maduro, though the timing is not officially linked.
Spain's foreign ministry confirmed the release of five Spanish nationals, among them San Miguel, a lawyer and human rights defender detained in February 2024 on charges of treason, conspiracy and terrorism over an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro. The ministry called the development 'a positive step in the new phase Venezuela is entering'.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado hailed the releases, saying they showed that 'injustice would not last forever'. Former opposition candidate Enrique Márquez and Biagio Pilieri were also freed. Márquez said, 'It's all over now,' in a video taken by a local journalist.
It remains unclear how many people are being released. Human rights groups estimate Venezuela holds between 800 and 1,000 political prisoners, most detained after the disputed 2024 election. Families of detainees rushed to prisons across the country, seeking information.
The head of Venezuela's national assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, described the move as a 'unilateral gesture to reaffirm our unbreakable decision to consolidate peace'. Meanwhile, speculation has centred on the Helicoide de la Roca Tarpeya, a former shopping centre turned prison, which is reportedly being vacated in part.
