CARACAS, Venezuela (BN24) — Venezuelan opposition leaders said Sunday that the government of President Nicolás Maduro released 13 people detained in a sweeping crackdown following last year’s disputed presidential elections, though authorities have yet to confirm the move.
Henrique Capriles, a prominent opposition leader, celebrated the releases on social media, calling the decision “a step forward for those behind bars.” Capriles said eight people were freed outright, while another five were granted house arrest.
“Today, several families have been reunited with their loved ones. We know that many remain, and we will not forget them; we continue fighting for them all,” Capriles wrote in a message posted to X, sharing a video of one of the detainees embracing relatives.
The development comes more than a year after Venezuela was rocked by turmoil in the wake of the July presidential elections. Electoral officials declared Maduro the victor but refused to release key voting records known as actas, fueling widespread accusations of fraud. International governments and opposition leaders rejected the results, triggering weeks of violent unrest that left 28 people dead, 220 injured, and at least 2,000 detained, according to official tallies.
The Caracas-based Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners said the 13 releases resulted from pressure applied by victims’ families, civic groups, and international organizations. The group noted that detainees endured “physical and psychological deterioration,” with many returning home bearing “open wounds.” It added that roughly 1,000 people remain in custody for political reasons, though other human rights groups estimate a somewhat lower figure.
Maduro’s government has consistently denied holding political prisoners, asserting instead that those detained are involved in alleged plots to destabilize the country.
The reported releases come just weeks after a controversial international exchange. In late July, Maduro’s government freed 10 jailed Americans as part of a deal with the United States and El Salvador, which had detained some 200 Venezuelans in prison conditions meant for gang members. Following that deal, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said additional Venezuelan political detainees had also been released.
