Pressure from Washington Continues: Delcy Rodríguez's Regime Announces the Release of 131 Political Prisoners in Venezuela

On Friday, August 14, Delcy Rodríguez's interim regime announced the granting of "alternative measures to imprisonment for a total of 131 people", who had been held in state custody on charges linked to the political opposition.

According to the official statement issued in Caracas, the measure was implemented through the "Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence," which requested that the judiciary review the cases of those on trial for alleged "attacks against democratic institutions, peace, and the development of the Republic."

However, the measure directly responds to the framework of demands set by Washington for the restoration of institutional order.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted to the announcement by acknowledging the impact of the White House's diplomatic strategy. On X, the head of U.S. diplomacy put the global scope of the measures into context.

"The recent release of more than 130 political prisoners in Venezuela is a crucial step toward the nation's reconciliation process," Rubio stated.

"Since January 3, 1,046 Venezuelans have been released", added the Secretary of State, further outlining the roadmap guiding U.S. foreign policy: "As we continue to move forward with the three-phase plan, the United States remains closely monitoring the Venezuelan-led process of in-person talks with the interim authorities."

Independent Verification and the Call for Full Freedom

Despite Washington's positive assessment and the interim regime's announcement, human rights organizations are maintaining rigorous monitoring on the ground.

Gonzalo Himiob Santomé, director of the Foro Penal, reported the first confirmed cases of releases from prisons: "As of this hour [5:30 p.m., local time], we at the Foro Penal have been able to confirm the release of 45 political prisoners. It is important that the process of releasing prisoners has resumed, but it is even more important that it does not end until not a single political prisoner remains behind bars."

As of the beginning of this week, the independent organization had counted 391 political prisoners in the country—comprising 365 men, 26 women, 228 civilians, and 163 military personnel—and noted that more than 11,000 citizens remain subject to restrictive precautionary measures.

Human rights advocates insist that the substitution of measures does not amount to a definitive dismissal of charges, so international pressure led by the U.S. will continue to be crucial in securing the full and unconditional release of all detainees.