MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela releases 88 people detained in post-2024 elections riots

Those released will enjoy limited freedom pending their trials, human rights organizations warned

Venezuela's Bolivarian regime announced the release of 88 people who had been detained following the July 28, 2024, presidential elections, which Nicolás Maduro claimed to have won despite producing no corroborating evidence.

Caracas' Ministry of Popular Power for Penitentiary Services (MPPSP) said the measure would be carried out on New Year's Day. However, opposition groups challenged the numbers on Thursday afternoon, explaining there were still several prisoners to be set free. Independent organizations, including Foro Penal and Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón (JEP), spent Thursday corroborating the government's figures. While the government reported 88 releases, JEP confirmed at least 47 specific cases by Thursday afternoon, and the Committee of Mothers in Defense of the Truth identified 87 individuals released from the Tocorón prison in the State of Aragua.

The move was part of a “comprehensive case review” ordered by Maduro, citing a “humanistic” approach. Human rights groups noted that the beneficiaries would enjoy a “limited freedom” pending their trials and subject to precautionary measures, such as periodic court appearances or travel bans. Hundreds of others continue to be jailed. Foro Penal recorded 902 political prisoners in Venezuela as of mid-December, while JEP estimated the figure to be over 1,000.

The Chavista administration said in a statement that the 88 individuals were held for crimes committed during “violent actions by extremist sectors” intended to “destabilize” the nation and “disregard the sovereign will” of the Venezuelan people. Additionally, the Ministry insisted that a dignified treatment, respectful of their human rights, had been granted to all detainees.

After the July 28 election, the pro-Chavista National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro the winner, a result the opposition and much of the international community labeled fraudulent, citing tally sheets that showed a victory for Edmundo González Urrutia. In the ensuing protests, more than 2,400 people were arrested. The Bolivarian regime's Prosecutor's Office has frequently labeled these detainees as “terrorists,” while the administration insists that the country is “free of political prisoners,” arguing that all those currently held are guilty of “terrible crimes.”

Last month, 71 people (65 men, 3 women, and 3 juveniles) were released in a first wave seeking to appease international condemnation, particularly that of the United States, which has deployed a sizeable armada in the Caribbean to allegedly combat drug trafficking. The United States, the European Union, and the OAS have recognized González Urrutia as the president-elect, citing “credible evidence” of fraud.