Venezuela is releasing numerous political prisoners just days after a U.S. assault on the capital and the detention of ex-leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Officials present this as a measure to uphold ‘peace arrangements,’ earning commendation from Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni.
Meloni’s X statement reflected close attention to events and expectations of better Rome-Caracas bonds under interim head Delcy Rodriguez. ‘Grateful for beginning releases of political captives, including our Italians; may it persist,’ she wrote.
Celebrated dissident Maria Corina Machado, Nobel honoree, posted an audio message online, calling it a pivotal moment against oppression. ‘Today shows wrong cannot persist; truth, though hurt, emerges victorious,’ she said.
Freed individuals reportedly include ex-opposition contender Enrique Marquez, who expressed relief in a local media clip: ‘Everything is finished now.’ Madrid’s Foreign Office affirmed five Spaniards’ liberation, including a dual national set for Spain via embassy support, labeling it constructive.
Though precise figures are elusive per The Guardian, rights monitors suggest 800-1,000 such prisoners linger, mostly snared in 2024 vote aftermath demos. This gesture amid post-arrest flux hints at reconciliation efforts, with global stakeholders hopeful for sustained calm and human rights advances in the crisis-hit country.