Venezuela frees several prominent opposition members
#Venezuela #Delcy Rodríguez #Juan Pablo Guanipa #María Corina Machado #political prisoners #Caracas #amnesty bill #United Nations
📌 Key Takeaways
- At least 30 political prisoners were released on Sunday, including high-level allies of opposition leader María Corina Machado.
- The releases follow the January 3 capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military and the transition to the Rodríguez administration.
- The Venezuelan National Assembly is currently debating an amnesty bill that could facilitate the release of hundreds more detainees by next week.
- Human rights organizations and the U.N. have been actively pressuring the transitional government to prioritize reconciliation and constitutional law.
📖 Full Retelling
🏷️ Themes
Political Transition, Human Rights, International Diplomacy
📚 Related People & Topics
Caracas
Capital and largest city of Venezuela
Caracas, officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern part of Venezuela, within the Caracas Valley of the Venezuelan coa...
United Nations
Global intergovernmental organization
The United Nations (UN) is a global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the articulated mission of maintaining international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among states, to promote international cooperation, and to serve...
Venezuela
Country in South America
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and various islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It comprises an area of 912,050 km2 (352,140 sq mi), with a population estimated at 31.8 million ...
Juan Pablo Guanipa
Venezuelan lawyer and politician
Juan Pablo Isidoro Guanipa Villalobos (born 20 December 1964) is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician who served as deputy and First Vice President of the National Assembly, and leader of the Justice First political party. His 2017 election as governor of Zulia was controversially annulled by the nati...
🔗 Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for Caracas:
- 🌐 Venezuela (6 shared articles)
- 👤 Juan Pablo Guanipa (6 shared articles)
- 🌐 Political prisoner (2 shared articles)
- 👤 Nicolás Maduro (2 shared articles)
- 🌐 Kidnapping (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Opposition (1 shared articles)
- 👤 Justice First (1 shared articles)
- 👤 María Corina Machado (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Amnesty law (1 shared articles)
- 👤 Tarek William Saab (1 shared articles)
📄 Original Source Content
By — Regina Garcia Cano, Associated Press Regina Garcia Cano, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/venezuela-frees-several-prominent-opposition-members Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Venezuela frees several prominent opposition members World Updated on Feb 8, 2026 5:35 PM EST — Published on Feb 8, 2026 5:31 PM EST CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's government on Sunday released from prison several prominent opposition members, including one of the closest allies of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, after lengthy politically motivated detentions. Their releases come as the government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez faces mounting pressure to free hundreds of people whose detentions months or years ago have been linked to their political beliefs. They also follow a visit to Venezuela of representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela's acting president after the Jan. 3 capture in Caracas of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military. Her government began releasing prisoners days later. "I am convinced that our country has completely changed," Juan Pablo Guanipa, a Machado ally and former governor, told reporters hours after his release. "I am convinced that it is now up to all of us to focus on building a free and democratic country." READ MORE: Mix of hope and fear settles over Venezuela a month after U.S.-imposed government change Guanipa, who spent more than eight months in custody, was released from a detention facility in the capital, Caracas. An armored vehicle and officers appeared behind him in the video he released. Venezuelan-based prisoners' rights group Foro Penal confirmed the release of at least 30 people on Sunday. In addition to Guanipa, Machado's political organization said several of its members were among the released, including María Oropeza, who livestreamed he...