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The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, announced this Friday a general amnesty law for political prisoners, which will be discussed in the National Assembly next week to promote national coexistence.
This announcement comes following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3 and a release process that has freed between 302 and more than 600 detainees, according to disputed figures between Chavismo and the NGO Foro Penal.
In contrast, the Cuban regime holds more than a thousand political prisoners without a date for their release, despite urgent calls from activists and international organizations.
Rodríguez made the statement at an event at the Supreme Court of Justice, which was closed to journalists, where he indicated that the measure had been discussed with Maduro and would exclude crimes such as homicide, drug offenses, and common crimes.
The amnesty would erase judicial cases against the released individuals, going beyond previous releases that involved precautionary measures such as exit bans or work restrictions.
Situation in Cuba
According to Prisoners Defenders, Cuba ended December 2025 with 1,197 political and conscience prisoners, having added 134 new ones throughout the year.
This figure represents a recent record, with patterns of arbitrary detentions without due process, and a total of 1,935 since July 2021.
Prisoners Defenders verifies cases on a monthly basis, including minors detained as political prisoners. The regime downplays the numbers before the international community, while the NGO reports torture and a lack of transparency.
Liberation now
More than 300 Cubans, including former prisoners like José Daniel Ferrer and artists like Tania Bruguera, signed a petition led by Anamely Ramos demanding immediate release, highlighting that Cuba is "absent" from regional agendas while Venezuela and Nicaragua are making progress in releasing prisoners.
The regime released 553 people in 2025 through an agreement with the U.S. mediated by the Vatican, but NGOs like Justicia 11J reported only 212-250 for political reasons, citing opaque processes, restrictive conditions, and subsequent detentions.
Cases like Félix Navarro, Maykel Osorbo, and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara remain in prison, with revocable benefits and continuous surveillance.
Amnesty International demanded that the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel unconditionally release prisoners of conscience, criticizing the 2025 releases for lacking guarantees and for using the penal system to silence dissent.
The NGO reported opacity, lack of acknowledgment of abuses, and returns to prison, as in Ferrer's case, forced into exile. President Donald Trump warned Havana against receiving more oil or money from Venezuela, suggesting a "deal" soon.
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