Venezuela begins releasing political prisoners after change of power
The process of releasing political prisoners has begun in Venezuela, which the authorities have described as a unilateral step of goodwill. The beginning of this process was announced by the chairman of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, reports The Washington Post.
According to him, we are talking about a «significant number» of detainees, including both Venezuelan citizens and foreigners. The announcement comes amid the first days after the ouster of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro by a US military operation.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the released prisoners include five Spanish citizens who are preparing to return home with the assistance of the embassy in Caracas. The head of Spanish diplomacy, Jose Manuel Albares, personally spoke to each of them.
Human rights activist Rocío San Miguel, the head of the Control Ciudadano organisation known for investigating abuses by security forces, has also been released. Her arrest almost two years ago provoked a sharp international reaction, particularly from the United States.
Later, human rights organisations reported the release of other prominent figures, including former presidential candidate Enrique Marquez and journalist and former member of parliament Biaggio Pillery.
The White House said that the United States insisted on the release of political prisoners. Deputy press secretary of the Donald Trump administration Anna Kelly noted that this is an example of using «maximum pressure» in the interests of the American and Venezuelan people.
At the same time, human rights activists warn that the scale and exact timing of the releases remain unclear. According to the Foro Penal organisation, as of the beginning of the week, more than 800 people considered political prisoners were being held in Venezuela.
