Venezuela has continued its release of political prisoners, including members of opposition leader María Corina Machado’s party, following the detention of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3. The human rights organization Foro Penal confirmed the release of at least five individuals on Saturday, including Virgilio Laverde, the youth coordinator for Machado’s Vente Venezuela party in Bolívar state.
The release of political prisoners has emerged as a key demand from the opposition in the wake of Maduro’s capture and President Donald Trump’s allegations that the United States is controlling the oil-rich nation. Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, stated on Thursday that a significant number of prisoners would be released as a peace gesture, although the released number has yet to reach two dozen, while Foro Penal estimates that over 800 political prisoners remain incarcerated.
Among the first individuals released were Biagio Pilieri, a former lawmaker and Machado ally, Enrique Márquez, a former vice president of the opposition-led National Assembly, and five Spanish citizens. On Saturday, acting President Delcy Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela will continue to oppose Maduro’s detention, declaring, “We will not rest until we have President Maduro back; we are going to rescue him,” without referencing the recent releases.
In a related development, Trump announced that he had scrapped a second wave of attacks on Venezuela, citing cooperation from the South American country as American diplomats are currently engaging with authorities in Caracas. Additionally, the U.S. president signed an executive order aimed at safeguarding Venezuelan oil revenues held in U.S. Treasury accounts, which blocks these funds from being claimed by Venezuela’s creditors and protects them from seizure due to debt obligations.
On Friday, major U.S. oil executives expressed hesitance regarding Trump’s call for them to invest at least $100 billion in rebuilding Venezuela, with the CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. labeling the country as “uninvestable.”
