Venezuelan authorities began releasing political prisoners this week. The move follows intense international scrutiny after the January 3 arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro by United States agents. The releases, confirmed by human rights groups on January 9, 2026, mark a significant shift in the country’s domestic political landscape.
The government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez did not provide an official list or total number of those freed. Local rights organization Foro Penal confirmed at least five high-profile detainees regained their liberty. This action represents the largest such gesture since Maduro’s detention, which fundamentally altered internal power dynamics.
“Only five have been released. Any list on the internet or social media, for the moment, is false,” Alfredo Romero, director of Foro Penal, told La Estrella de Panama via telephone. [Translated from Spanish]
Security forces were seen at the government-run El Helicoide detention center in Caracas on January 8. The facility is used by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) to hold both political prisoners and common criminals. Observers interpreted the activity as preparation for the releases.
High Profile Cases Among Those Freed
One of the most prominent individuals released is security analyst Rocío San Miguel. She holds dual Venezuelan and Spanish citizenship. San Miguel had been detained since February 2024 after her arrest at an airport while attempting to travel to Miami with her daughter.
Prosecutors linked her to an alleged conspiracy plot called “White Bracelet.” She consistently denied the charges, which international bodies also rejected. Her family stated she plans to relocate to Spain soon.
Two Basque citizens, Andrés Martínez Adasme and José María Basoa, were also freed. They were detained in September 2024 in Amazonas state during a tourist trip. The Chavista regime accused them of being Spanish agents involved in a plot against Maduro, without presenting evidence. The Spanish government repeatedly called their detention arbitrary.
Two other Spanish nationals, Miguel Moreno from the Canary Islands and Ernesto Gorbe from Valencia, were confirmed released. Their cases had also drawn diplomatic appeals from European authorities.
Official Statements and Regional Reaction
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced the releases. He framed the decision as a unilateral state action aimed at strengthening internal coexistence and national stability.
“This is a step oriented toward consolidating peace and peaceful coexistence, without ideological, political, or religious distinctions,” Rodríguez stated during his address. [Translated from Spanish]
The government insists the prisoner releases do not stem from direct pressure from Washington. That position is difficult to reconcile with recent events. The arrest of Maduro initiated a clear U.S. strategy of increased political oversight and control over Venezuela’s vital oil sector.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly declared his administration will exercise direct guardianship over Venezuela during a transition period. He plans to keep Delcy Rodríguez leading the executive branch under guidelines defined from Washington.
In that framework, Rodríguez already showed flexibility. She recently admitted economic relations with the United States are not exceptional and that Venezuela must sustain commercial ties with all hemispheric countries. Those statements coincided with an announcement to deliver between 30 and 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned crude oil to the U.S. That oil had primarily been destined for the Chinese market.
Ongoing Concerns and Unresolved Cases
Despite these releases, major concerns persist. Foro Penal reports Venezuela still holds more than 820 political prisoners. That figure is the highest in the region. Other non-governmental organizations elevate the estimate to over 1,000 detainees. Many were arrested following widespread protests in 2024.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino publicly addressed one unresolved case. He called for the release of Panamanian sailor Olmedo Javier Núñez Peñalba, detained since June 2025 with other crew members of the vessel Guaiquerí N35.
“I hope they soon free our compatriot detained like many in Venezuela. We cannot forget him,” Mulino wrote on social media. The sailor’s whereabouts remained unknown as of January 9.
Rights groups demand transparency and official lists to evaluate whether these excarcerations signal a real policy change. The government previously freed 180 people in a different gesture. Serious doubts remain about the scope of the new measures and whether those released will face ongoing legal restrictions or surveillance.
Civil society organizations continue to call for a general amnesty. They consider the vast majority of these detentions to be arbitrary and politically motivated. The coming weeks will test whether this prisoner release is a genuine turning point or a limited tactical move by a weakened government.