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Venezuela: Another 23 Political Prisoners Released Under Amnesty Law

Published February 23, 2026, 09:10
Venezuela: Another 23 Political Prisoners Released Under Amnesty Law

Another 23 political prisoners have been released in Venezuela under the amnesty law adopted under pressure from the United States, according to the non-governmental organization Foro Penal. Among them are at least seven members of the party of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, including Juan Freites. Machado expressed her satisfaction with Freites' release, stating that they will soon be able to meet freely. These releases come after an agreement by Venezuelan authorities to release 379 political prisoners under the amnesty law, under pressure from the United States. A total of 1,557 prisoners have requested release invoking the new law. However, more than 200 prisoners have begun a hunger strike, believing they are being excluded from the granting of amnesty. The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, is seeking to normalize relations with the United States, which had been strained since 2019. This development comes after the US military operation on January 3rd that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.