{"id":29575,"date":"2026-01-09T17:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T17:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=29575"},"modified":"2026-01-09T17:10:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T17:10:02","slug":"venezuela-begins-releasing-political-prisoners-amid-pressure-from-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=29575","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela Begins Releasing Political Prisoners Amid Pressure From United States"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners, a move that could signal the country\u2019s new leadership is responding to pressure from the United States amid broader negotiations over sanctions, oil sales, and detained foreign nationals.<\/p>\n

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The announcement was made Thursday by Jorge Rodr\u00edguez, the head of Venezuela\u2019s National Assembly, who said the government was freeing an \u201cimportant number\u201d of prisoners as part of what he described as a unilateral effort to \u201cmaintain the peace,\u201d NBC News\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rodr\u00edguez did not specify how many prisoners would be released, nor did he provide a timeline or list of names.<\/p>\n

Human rights groups estimate that Venezuela is holding between 800 and 900 political prisoners, most of whom were detained under former President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces on Saturday.<\/p>\n

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Diego Casanova, who works with families of political prisoners, said no official list of those selected for release had been provided.<\/p>\n

Despite the lack of formal confirmation, reports and images began emerging throughout the day.<\/p>\n

In a video shared by a Venezuelan journalist, opposition politician Enrique M\u00e1rquez was seen being embraced on a street after his apparent release.<\/p>\n

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In a statement posted on X, Spanish officials said five Spanish nationals, including one dual citizen, were preparing to travel to Spain.<\/p>\n

Spain\u2019s foreign minister, Jos\u00e9 Manuel Albares, told Spanish broadcaster RNE that the group includes Roc\u00edo San Miguel, a Venezuela-Spanish human rights lawyer who was detained in February 2024 at an airport near Caracas.<\/p>\n

The other individuals were identified as Andr\u00e9s Mart\u00ednez, Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Basoa, Miguel Moreno and Ernesto Gorbe.<\/p>\n

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According to Spanish newspaper\u00a0El Pa\u00eds<\/em>, Basoa and Mart\u00ednez were arrested in 2024 after being accused by Venezuelan authorities of terrorism and acting as undercover agents for Spain, allegations Spanish officials denied. Their families said the men had entered Venezuela as tourists.<\/p>\n

Gorbe, who had been living in Venezuela, was arrested in 2024 after authorities accused him of overstaying his visa. Moreno was detained in June while aboard a treasure-hunting vessel operating in waters claimed by Venezuela, the newspaper reported.<\/p>\n

The White House said the releases reflect the impact of U.S. pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one example of how the President is using maximum leverage to do right by the American and Venezuelan people,\u201d White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Families of political prisoners and opposition groups have continued to press both Venezuelan authorities and the U.S. government to secure additional releases.<\/p>\n

Among them is Mar\u00eda Constanza Cipriani, whose husband, Perkins Rocha, is a personal adviser to opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado.<\/p>\n

Trump said Wednesday that Venezuela will purchase only American-made products using revenue from oil sales under the deal, CNBC\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have just been informed that Venezuela is going to be purchasing only American-made products, with the money they receive from our new oil deal,\u201d Trump said in a post on Truth Social.<\/p>\n

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The president said the purchases will include agricultural goods, medicine, medical devices and equipment to improve Venezuela\u2019s electrical grid and energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Trump said earlier this week that Venezuela would turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following Maduro\u2019s removal. The oil would be sold at market prices, a move that could generate more than $2 billion at Wednesday\u2019s closing price.<\/p>\n

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that the United States will control Venezuela\u2019s oil sales indefinitely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela \u2014 first this backed up stored oil and then indefinitely, going forward,\u201d Wright said at Goldman Sachs\u2019 annual energy conference in Miami.<\/p>\n

He said the funds from the sales will be deposited into U.S.-controlled accounts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to have that leverage and that control of those oil sales to drive the changes that simply must happen in Venezuela,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n