Venezuela sets free 116 prisoners in new wave of release
Venezuela's government said on Monday that 116 prisoners have been released "in the past few hours," according to a statement from the Penitentiary Services Ministry, though rights groups reported a lower figure.
- Americas
- Anadolu Agency & Reuters
- Published Date: 08:06 | 12 January 2026
- Modified Date: 08:10 | 12 January 2026
The Venezuelan Penitentiary Services Ministry announced on Monday that 116 individuals have been released as a result of coordinated efforts.
"These measures have benefited individuals deprived of their liberty for acts related to disrupting the constitutional order and threatening the stability of the nation," it said in a statement.
This adds to the 187 similar measures granted during December, the ministry added.
The releases came after the US carried out a Jan. 3 military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
US President Donald Trump had welcomed the start of Venezuela's release of political prisoners on Saturday.
After Maduro's capture by US forces, his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as the country's interim president.
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