Venezuela freed 39 political prisoners after a US-backed second round of talks between the interim government and the opposition. The release included eight women charged with "narco-terrorism" in 2021 and six people accused of involvement in a 2020 plot allegedly linked to the United States. Rights groups say 344 people remain classified as political prisoners, and critics say the amnesty process has been slow.
Venezuela Frees 39 Political Prisoners After US-Backed Talks; Hundreds Remain
People hold signs and lit candles at a vigil to pray for the release of political prisoners in Caracas, Venezuela, on September 13, 2026 [Miguel Gutierrez/EPA]
Venezuela has released 39 people classified as political prisoners following a second round of negotiations between the interim government and opposition representatives that carried US backing.
Human-rights group Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón (JEP) said the 39 detainees were freed between Friday and Saturday from several prisons. The group said the releases included eight women who were charged with "narco-terrorism" in 2021 and six people accused of collaborating with the United States in a 2020 plot to overthrow former President Nicolás Maduro.
"We will remain vigilant and continue to demand full freedom for all those who are still waiting," JEP said in a statement posted on X.
The releases followed a second round of talks held on Friday between representatives of the interim administration led by Delcy Rodríguez — who previously served as Maduro's vice-president — and opposition figures. The negotiations have proceeded with US approval after Washington shifted its engagement earlier this year.
Images and reports from Caracas showed relatives holding vigils and lighting candles on September 13, 2026, pressing for the prisoners' release.
A first round of talks in August focused on recovering Venezuelan assets frozen overseas to finance reconstruction after June's earthquakes, which authorities said killed more than 6,300 people, and on proposed reforms to the judiciary.
Rodríguez enacted an amnesty law in February following US pressure, but human-rights groups and families say implementation has been slow and uneven.
Foro Penal, an independent organisation that tracks political detentions, reported that 344 people remained classified as political prisoners as of September 18, down from 391 on August 10. The government has said it freed 131 people under a separate "alternative measures" programme.
US Senator Marco Rubio said previously that more than 1,000 Venezuelans had been released since political changes earlier this year, describing the releases as "a crucial step" toward national reconciliation.
Families of detainees continue to stage protests outside the US embassy in Caracas and at El Rodeo I prison, a facility that rights organisations have described as a site where torture and mistreatment have occurred.
Photo caption: Relatives hold signs and candles at a vigil in Caracas on September 13, 2026 [Miguel Gutierrez/EPA]
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