Caracas, Sept. 27 (SANA) Venezuelan authorities have released dozens of prisoners, including people identified by human rights groups as political prisoners, days after interim President Delcy Rodríguez met U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
Venezuelan rights group CLIPPVE said seven political prisoners were released Saturday from a prison outside Caracas, including university student Wilder Vasquez, according to The Associated Press.
Another rights organization, Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, said 29 people were released from Venezuelan prisons. Twelve were on its list of political prisoners, while the other 17 were not in its database. The group said it was continuing to verify the releases.
The Venezuelan government made no statement Saturday about the releases. Rodríguez’s administration denies imprisoning political dissidents and says it has been working to free people investigated or convicted of offenses including attacks on state institutions as part of efforts toward national reconciliation.
Rodríguez told the U.N. General Assembly last week that Venezuela had begun a process of democratic transformation and said elections would be held, without announcing a date.
Her meeting with Trump on Tuesday was their first in person since Rodríguez became Venezuela’s interim leader following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January. The meeting took place during a reception on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
At least 1,800 people were arrested following Venezuela’s disputed 2024 presidential election. Hundreds have since been released from Venezuelan prisons, although human rights organizations say hundreds of political prisoners remain in custody
R.D/ABD
Venezuela releases dozens of prisoners after Trump-Rodríguez meeting
