Venezuela to release "important number" of political prisoners, lawmaker says
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Venezuela's National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez on Jan. 5 in Caracas, Venezuela. Photo: Jesus Vargas/Getty Images
Venezuela will release an "important number" of political prisoners, including both citizens and foreigners, the South American country's top legislator said on Thursday.
The big picture: The announcement, from National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez, could signal that the regime is softening its long-standing limits on political dissent — a move the opposition in Venezuela has demanded for years.
What they're saying: "This is one example of how the President is using maximum leverage to do right by the American and Venezuelan people," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Axios.
- The White House did not explicitly confirm that prisoners' release was in response to a U.S. request.
Driving the news: How freely opposition politicians — including those jailed or living in exile — would be allowed to operate freely has been a major question mark since the U.S. military operation that led to Nicolás Maduro's capture but left much of his government structure in place.
- Rodríguez didn't specify how many prisoners they will be releasing and the names of who will be freed. Venezuela human rights group Foro Penal estimates between 800 individuals are still detained.
- Maduro oversaw years of politically motivated arrests, as thousands protested his unfounded claim of victory in the 2024 presidential election.
- The move also comes just days after Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, was sworn in, signaling possible shifts within the regime, despite pressure from Trump to comply with U.S. demands.
State of play: Human rights concerns have taken a back seat since Maduro's capture, as President Trump has turned his full attention to rebuilding Venezuela's oil sector.
- The U.S. president on Tuesday said that Venezuelan interim authorities will "be turning over" between "30 and 50 MILLION" barrels of oil to the U.S. — noting that the sanctioned oil will be sold at market price and the resulting revenue would be controlled by him.
- Trump on Wednesday also said that Venezuela will only purchase American-made products with the money the Latin American country receives from the new oil deal.
Martha Tineo, co-founder of the nonprofit Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, a Venezuelan human rights group, said in a statement, "This announcement, if fully implemented, could represent a necessary step on the road to restoring democracy and unrestricted respect for human rights."
- "The release of these people not only means justice for them and their families but also a reaffirmation of human dignity and equality before the law," Tineo added.
Go deeper: Trump's Venezuela oil play comes into focus
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a White House statement.
