Independent Report
CARACAS — Venezuela released at least 80 political prisoners on Sunday, according to the Caracas-based human rights organization Foro Penal, as part of an ongoing series of detainee releases.
Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero confirmed on social media platform X that the group was verifying identities, and the number of freed detainees could rise. The releases were carried out across multiple prisons nationwide.
The numbers reported by Foro Penal contrast with government statements. Venezuelan authorities previously claimed 626 detainees had been released since early January, but Foro Penal has confirmed only 156 political prisoner releases in the same period.
Human rights advocates warn that hundreds of critics, activists, and opposition figures remain in detention, many arrested after the contested 2024 presidential election and ensuing unrest. Foro Penal estimates roughly 800 political prisoners are still behind bars, though precise verification remains challenging.
International observers and rights groups have criticized the slow pace of releases and legal restrictions that many former detainees continue to face, calling for unconditional freedom for all remaining political prisoners.
