The Venezuelan human rights group, Foro Penal, indicated this February 5 that it has verified a total of 383 releases, since last January 8 – when the president of the Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced the releases –, until this Thursday. Various NGOs urge the publication of the entire amnesty bill recently announced by Chavismo. Meanwhile, María Corina Machado, pointed out that she estimates that elections will be held in the country in less than a year. The opposition highlights the hopes of a democratic transition after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, although, for now, the Donald Trump Administration shows harmony with the Chavista leader and interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.

First modification: 02/05/2026 - 17:10 Last modification: 02/05/2026 - 17:25

At least 383 people considered political prisoners in Venezuela have been released, according to the releases from prison that the NGO Foro Penal has been able to confirm.

The human rights organization explained that the figure includes releases that it has been able to confirm from last February 8 until the morning of this Thursday, February 5.

Almost a month has passed since, on January 8, the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced the release of “a significant number” of citizens from the country's prisons, although he did not specify the number.

Rodríguez assured that it was a unilateral "gesture of peace." The announcement came after a new chapter of relations and pressure from the Government of President Donald Trump after the United States attacks in Venezuela on January 3, which ended with the capture of then-president Nicolás Maduro.

Since then, the number of releases has contrasted between that reported by the authorities of the Chavista regime and those that NGOs claim they have been able to verify.

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Despite Rodríguez's announcement almost a month ago, the Venezuelan Government assures that the release process began in November 2025. In this context, the Minister of the Interior, Diosdado Cabello, recently indicated a total of 895 people released from prison. And, in parallel, he denied the existence of political prisoners in Venezuela.

Among the people who have been released from prison in recent weeks are both Venezuelan citizens and foreigners, as confirmed by governments such as those of Spain and Italy.

However, in Venezuelan territory the releases would not be complete, denounce various NGOs that maintain that those released were granted measures that replace the deprivation of liberty.

Read alsoVenezuela: Penal Forum indicates a total of 266 verified releases of people considered political prisoners

They demand publication of the amnesty project for those considered political prisoners

The Venezuelan Parliament, controlled by Chavismo, reported that it will discuss this Thursday, February 5, the draft of an amnesty law, proposed by the president in charge, Delcy Rodríguez.

Last Friday, the woman who was Maduro's vice president announced the proposed law to release people considered political prisoners, detained from 1999 to the present, a period that covers the total number of Chavismo governments. The late Hugo Chávez was elected in 1998 and began his mandate in 1999, so for more than 20 years power has been focused on a single political group.

However, Delcy Rodríguez specified last week that the offer excludes those prosecuted or convicted of homicides, drug trafficking and human rights violations.

Foro Penal counts a total of 687 political prisoners in Venezuela, of which 600 are men and 87 are women, according to a count up to February 2.

Various human rights groups pressured Caracas this Thursday to publish the content of the amnesty project.

"The text of the bill must be made public urgently, given its impact on the rights of the victims, their families and Venezuelan society," said Provea, an organization dedicated to the defense of human rights.

The NGO stressed that an amnesty law "cannot be debated or approved behind the backs of the victims, without broad consultation, without the participation of human rights organizations and without clear standards."

"The secrecy in the National Assembly prevents evaluating its scope, its inclusion and exclusion criteria and its compatibility with international law," he added in his platform X account.

Read alsoA month without Maduro: five keys to Venezuela's turnaround under the Trump-Rodríguez formula

Machado believes that Venezuela could call elections this year

In an interview with 'Politico', published this Thursday, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, stated that she considers that elections could be held in her country before the end of this year.

"We believe that a real transfer process with manual voting (...) could be completed in nine or ten months," declared Machado. "But, well, that depends on when you start."

Machado, whose political party claimed to have won 70% of the vote in the 2024 Venezuelan elections, met with President Donald Trump and spoke with his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as well as US lawmakers last month following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro.

"We have a legitimate leadership with enormous popular support and our Armed Forces also support a transition to democracy," he told 'Politico'.

Last January, Trump claimed that he was considering involving Machado in some way, despite having endorsed Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.

Machado also told 'Politico' that he has not yet spoken to Trump about the electoral process.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed U.S. lawmakers at a hearing on Jan. 28 that Venezuela's new leaders were moving toward closer ties with Washington, before meeting with Machado later that day.

Reports from US intelligence agencies have questioned whether Delcy Rodríguez is fully on board with the strategy for his country and whether he intends to formally sever ties with US adversaries, Reuters reported last month.

Also read EE. The US seeks a permanent CIA presence in Venezuela after Maduro's capture: 'CNN'

With Reuters and EFE

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