Venezuela Releases 39 Political Prisoners After US-Backed Talks
· World · Al Jazeera, BBC News
Venezuela freed 39 political prisoners, including eight women accused of narco-terrorism in 2021 and six linked to a 2020 plot to overthrow former President Nicolas Maduro. The releases followed a second round of talks between interim President Delcy Rodriguez and the opposition, held with US backing since Washington's removal of Maduro in January. A first round of talks in August focused on recovering frozen overseas assets to aid earthquake recovery and judicial reform. Rodriguez enacted an amnesty law in February under US pressure, though the pace of releases has been slow, with 344 political prisoners still detained as of September 18.
Why it matters
The release of prisoners offers hope to families who have protested outside the US embassy in Caracas and El Rodeo I prison, widely regarded as a torture centre. It signals a potential step toward reconciliation after Maduro’s removal, though hundreds remain detained.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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