Trump's maximum pressure generates expectations for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela

The "maximum pressure" strategy promoted by President Donald Trump after the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro opened a strong expectation about the massive release of political prisoners in Venezuela, one of the central demands of the Venezuelan opposition and civil society, human rights organizations and the international community.

However, at the time this article was published, concrete results are limited, with only five political prisoners released.

The Chavista regime announced the release of a "significant number" of detainees and presented the move as a "gesture" of its own, aimed, according to its narrative, at facilitating a political transition. However, independent organizations and relatives of the prisoners quickly questioned this version due to the lack of verifiable information and clear official figures. Likewise, according to the White House, the releases are due to intense pressure from Washington, which promised to oversee the political transition in the South American country.

Penal Forum confirms only five releases

The NGO Foro Penal, a reference in the monitoring of political prisoners in Venezuela, confirmed that so far only five people have been released from prison. As explained by its director, Alfredo Romero, these are five Spanish citizens, among them activist Rocio San Miguel, released from detention centers such as El Helicoide and El Rodeo I. The other released prisoners are Andres Martinez Adasme, Jose Maria Basoa, Miguel Moreno Dapena and Ernesto Gorbe Cardona.

Foro Penal also warned about the circulation of unverified lists on social media, which fed expectations of massive releases without, as yet, official support. The organization urged caution and stressed that it will only consider as valid those releases that can be confirmed on a case-by-case basis by their legal teams or direct relatives.

Meanwhile, in different detention centers in the country, families remained for hours awaiting official information, denouncing delays in the issuance of release slips and a persistent lack of transparency on the part of the judicial system controlled by Chavism.

Washington rules out a "gesture" and attributes the move to pressure from Trump

Without beating around the bush, the White House maintained that the releases do not respond to a voluntary decision by Chavismo, but to direct pressure exerted by President Trump following the capture of Maduro and the tightening of the political, economic and diplomatic siege on the regime, now led by Delcy Rodriguez, who is cooperating with U.S. requests.

U.S. officials pointed out that this type of move is part of a dynamic of forced concessions resulting from the regime's loss of maneuvering room.

María Corina Machado's message

Amid the uncertainty, opposition leader María Corina Machado addressed the relatives of political prisoners with a message of support and caution. Machado stated that "injustice is not going to be eternal" and remarked that the struggle will continue until all political prisoners are released, not just a small group.

High expectations, but limited progress

The release of five political prisoners, in a context of maximum pressure from Washington, represents a relevant fact after years of unjust imprisonment and crimes against humanity committed inside the regime's torture centers.

However, in Venezuela, where it is estimated that hundreds of people are still detained for political reasons, human rights organizations insist that there can be no real progress as long as the vast majority remain behind bars and the regime maintains total control of the judicial system.

This story is developing...