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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, sent a message to the political prisoners released in recent hours in Venezuela, urging them to remember "the luck they have had."
Trump stated that Venezuela has begun to release detainees for political reasons following a U.S. intervention, describing the move as a positive gesture and noting that he hoped the released individuals "remember the luck they had" due to the U.S. intervention.
The U.S. President attributed the decision of Caracas to cooperation with Washington and stated that the action has been an important step toward peace, although he did not specify how many people have been released nor provided a complete list of beneficiaries.
However, the ending of his message was controversial as it resulted in a threat: "Venezuela has begun the process, BIG TIME, of freeing its political prisoners. Thank you! I hope those prisoners remember the luck they had that the United States intervened and did what needed to be done. I HOPE THEY NEVER FORGET IT! If they do, it won’t go well for them. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT," he expressed.
Human rights organizations have confirmed that the number of released political prisoners is limited so far, despite the fact that the United States and some international actors are speaking of a significant number.
According to groups like Foro Penal, the number of releases remains small—only 22—compared to the total number of people who remain detained for political reasons in Venezuela.
Reactions to Trump's statements have been mixed: while some international sectors see the release of detainees as a step forward, human rights advocates have warned that the process needs to be more transparent and comprehensive, and have insisted that fundamental freedoms must be guaranteed without political conditions.
Edmundo Gonzalez, opposition leader, claims that the number of released individuals is only 1% of the total.
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