Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners in what appears to be a response to mounting pressure from the U.S. amid ongoing negotiations over sanctions, oil sales, and detained foreign nationals.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly.
He said the government had decided to free an “important number” of political prisoners as part of a unilateral effort aimed at maintaining stability in the country, according to NBC News.
Rodríguez did not provide details on how many prisoners would be released, nor did he offer a timeline or identify those being freed.
Human rights organizations estimate that Venezuela currently holds between 800 and 900 political prisoners.
Many of those detainees were arrested during the rule of former President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces over the weekend.
Advocates working with prisoners’ families said they had not received any official list confirming who was included in the releases. Diego Casanova, who assists families of detainees, said authorities have provided no formal documentation.
Despite the lack of official confirmation, reports of releases began circulating throughout the day. A video shared by a Venezuelan journalist appeared to show opposition politician Enrique Márquez being greeted and embraced in public following his apparent release.
Foreign nationals were also among those reportedly freed.
Spanish officials said that five Spanish citizens, including one dual national, were preparing to travel to Spain after their release from Venezuelan custody.
Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, told Spanish radio outlet RNE that the group included Rocío San Miguel, a Venezuelan Spanish human rights lawyer who was detained in February 2024 at an airport near Caracas.
The other individuals were identified as Andrés Martínez, José María Basoa, Miguel Moreno, and Ernesto Gorbe.
According to Spanish newspaper El País, Basoa and Martínez were arrested in 2024 after Venezuelan authorities accused them of terrorism and acting as undercover agents for Spain. Spanish officials rejected those allegations, and the men’s families said they entered Venezuela as tourists.
Gorbe, who had been residing in Venezuela, was arrested in 2024 after authorities accused him of overstaying his visa.
Moreno was detained in June while aboard a treasure-hunting vessel operating in waters claimed by Venezuela, per the Conservative Brief.
The White House said the prisoner releases demonstrate the effectiveness of U.S. pressure on the Venezuelan government.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the move was an example of how President Donald Trump is using leverage to advance the interests of both Americans and Venezuelans.
Families of political prisoners and opposition groups have continued urging both Venezuelan authorities and the U.S. government to push for additional releases.
Among those advocating for further action is María Constanza Cipriani, whose husband, Perkins Rocha, serves as a personal adviser to opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado.
Trump said Wednesday that Venezuela would be required to purchase only American-made goods using revenue generated from oil sales under the new agreement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the purchases would include agricultural products, medicine, medical devices, and equipment to improve Venezuela’s electrical grid and energy infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Trump said Venezuela would transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following Maduro’s removal. The oil would be sold at market prices, potentially generating more than $2 billion.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States will maintain control over Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely.
Speaking at an energy conference in Miami, Wright said the revenue from oil sales would be placed into accounts controlled by the United States to ensure continued leverage over Venezuela’s political and economic reforms.
