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Venezuela prisoner release announced by National Assembly President

The head of Venezuela’s National Assembly announces the imminent release of “a significant number” of detainees, including foreign nationals, as one of the first effects of Maduro’s capture and ongoing US pressure

The President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, has announced that a “significant number” of prisoners will be released in the coming hours, potentially including foreign nationals. The Venezuela prisoner release could involve Alberto Trentini, an Italian aid worker from Veneto who has been detained in the country for over a year, according to international media reports.

Rodríguez did not specify the total number of detainees to be freed, describing the decision as “a unilateral gesture to strengthen our unwavering commitment to peace in the Republic and peaceful coexistence among all citizens.”

According to the New York Times, this marks the first public conciliatory action by the new Venezuelan administration towards the opposition following the removal of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States.

Human rights organisation Foro Penal estimates that there are a total of 806 political prisoners in Venezuelan jails, including 105 women, one adolescent and 86 foreign nationals.

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