On February 8, Mr. Juan Pablo Guanipa - a close ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado - was officially released after more than 8 months of detention. Previously, in May 2025, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello accused him of participating in a "terrorist" election plot but failed to provide concrete evidence.
Immediately after leaving prison, Mr. Guanipa made an official statement on social media: "Today we are free. There are many things to discuss about the future of Venezuela, but the truth will always be at the forefront". Responding to this information, Ms. Machado called him the "hero" of the opposition movement.
However, the release has not been carried out uniformly. The case of lawyer Perkins Rocha is an example, when he was only transferred from prison to house arrest with strict supervision.
According to human rights organization Foro Penal, on February 8 alone, at least 30 political prisoners including activists and former officials were released.
This release took place in the context of strong political turmoil in Venezuela after President Nicolás Maduro was arrested by the US. Representative of the interim government, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, made a commitment to complete the release of all political prisoners no later than February 13.
In parallel with that, a pardon bill is being promoted by the country's National Assembly, promising to abolish sentences for prisoners arrested since the time of the late President Hugo Chávez (1999). This is considered the first legal step in the national reconciliation roadmap.
However, there is still a large discrepancy in data between the parties. While the Venezuelan government announced that it had released more than 800 people, independent verification data from Foro Penal shows that the actual number has only reached over 380 people. This inconsistency is causing concern about the progress of Caracas' implementation of international commitments.
