Ricardo Gámez leaves prison after being released in Tocuyito, Venezuela. (AP Photo)
A leading Venezuela prisoner rights group has said that dozens of prisoners were released over the weekend as US President Donald Trump led administration continued its pressure tactics on the acting government to free hundreds of dissidents who were put behind bars under ousted leader Nicolas Maduro.
Alfredo Romero, head of Foro Penal, said his group is under the process of verifying the identities of those released and informed in a post on X that 266 “political prisoners” had been freed since January 8 when the acting government of Venezuela promised to release a “significant number” of prisoners.
US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) posts on Truth Social, "I am pleased to report that Venezuela is releasing its Political Prisoners at a rapid rate, which rate will be increasing over the coming short period of time. I’d like to thank the leadership of Venezuela for agreeing to… pic.twitter.com/iYsAACrUYk
The group said that out of 266 prisoners released, at least 100 of them were freed in the past two days. Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday said that over 600 prisoners have been released but prisoners rights group Foro Penal contradicted the figures and stated that they are inflated.
The US military raided Venezuela on January 3 and captured its deposed leader Maduro, who was brought to New York to stand-trial against drug trafficking charges and he was replaced by Rodriguez, who has been a longtime ruling party insider.
Announcing the development on social media, Trump wrote “I am pleased to report that Venezuela is releasing its Political Prisoners at a rapid rate, which rate will be increasing over the coming short period of time. I’d like to thank the leadership of Venezuela for agreeing to this powerful humanitarian gesture!”
Foro Penal had earlier said that those released in the recent weeks by the Venezuelan government have not had the charges against them dropped. The group further added prisoners released this weekend include an opposition activist, a human rights lawyer and a journalism student.
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Rodriguez has said that she is poised to hold a call with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk on Monday to ask the United Nations to verify the list of those released from the prison.
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Ricardo Gámez leaves prison after being released in Tocuyito, Venezuela. (AP Photo) 
