Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez pledged on Wednesday to continue releasing prisoners detained under the administration of former leader Nicolás Maduro, in her first press conference since assuming power earlier this month following Maduro’s ouster.
Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president and oversaw key sectors including intelligence and the oil industry, was sworn in as interim president on January 5 after the United States conducted a military operation that led to Maduro’s capture and transfer to the U.S. on charges including drug trafficking.
Addressing reporters at the presidential palace in Caracas, Rodríguez said that the process of freeing prisoners, which began under Maduro, “has not yet concluded” and remains ongoing.
“That process remains open,” she said, adding that the releases signal the start of “a new political moment that allows for understanding of divergence and of political and ideological diversity.”
The releases are seen by many observers as part of a response to U.S. pressure for political reforms in Venezuela. Rights groups, including Foro Penal, have verified the early release of dozens of prisoners, though numbers vary. Some government officials have claimed hundreds of individuals have been freed as part of a broader initiative, though civil society groups say fewer detainees have actually been released.
The move has also included the release of multiple detained American citizens, which the U.S. State Department described as an “important step” by Venezuela’s interim authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly welcomed the prisoner releases and indicated that it influenced the decision to hold off on a previously anticipated second wave of military action against Venezuela.
Rodríguez’s assumption of the presidency follows a dramatic shift in Venezuelan politics in early January, after Maduro and his wife were seized by U.S. forces and flown to New York to face federal charges. The Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice subsequently appointed Rodríguez as interim president, and she has since taken steps to stabilize the government while engaging with Washington and other international actors.
While the release of prisoners has been welcomed by some, others note that many more detainees remain in custody, and critics continue to call for greater transparency in the process.
