The Venezuelan government announced on Thursday the release of a "significant number" of political prisoners, including foreign nationals, in what it called a "unilateral gesture of peace."
The announcement was made by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, who stated that the decision was not agreed upon with any other party and that the releases began "from this very moment."
"For the sake of peaceful coexistence, the Bolivarian government, together with the state institutions, has decided to release a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign individuals," Rodríguez declared to the press from the Legislative Palace, without specifying how many detainees would be released or under what conditions, as reported in a broadcast by Venezolana de Televisión.
The news comes amid a context of intense political and diplomatic tension, as dozens of families both inside and outside Venezuela have been waiting for months, and in some cases years, for news about their loved ones imprisoned for political reasons.
Rodríguez insisted that this is a sovereign decision of the Venezuelan state and emphasized that it does not respond to prior negotiations. However, the announcement coincides with movements on the international stage.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, recently declared that the supervision of Washington over Venezuela could extend for years and asserted that his administration is already reaping benefits from Venezuelan oil, amid agreements related to the partial lifting of restrictions.
In parallel, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, offered to mediate between Caracas and Washington following a conversation with Trump. Petro announced that he will host Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez in Bogotá in an attempt to ease tensions and open channels for dialogue.
For now, the announcement of the releases in Venezuela remains a developing story.
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