Jorge Rodríguez, alongside the Board of Directors of the National Assembly and PSUV lawmakers. Photograph: VTV.
Guacamaya, January 8, 2026. The president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, confirmed this Thursday that the government has begun the release of a “significant number” of political prisoners, including Venezuelan and foreign nationals, as part of a “unilateral gesture of goodwill” aimed at promoting peace and understanding in the country.
During an official statement, Rodríguez thanked international figures such as José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former prime minister of Spain; Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; and the State of Qatar, as well as several Venezuelan state institutions, for their contribution to making these actions possible. Without providing specific figures, he said that the names and identities of those to be released will be announced in the coming hours, in response to internal demands and pressure from foreign governments.
“We are not negotiating with extremist sectors, but with those who adhere to the Venezuelan Constitution,” Rodríguez stressed, describing the measure not as part of a political agreement, but as a unilateral act by the Executive in pursuit of peaceful coexistence.
Former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez, and human rights activists Rocío San Miguel and Javier Tarazona are among the political prisoners released.
In the case of Enrique Márquez, he was a presidential candidate in the 2024 elections. His release was publicly requested on several occasions by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Added to the list of those released are Perkins Rocha, Juan Pablo Guanipa, Jesús Armas, Rafael Tudares, and Sofía Sahagún. Pending confirmation of their releases.
The announcement has drawn international attention. Official Spanish sources have indicated that Spanish citizens may be among those benefiting, a development that Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, described as a “very positive step” by the Venezuelan authorities
They include the Basques Andrés Martínez Adasme and José María Basoa, the Canary Islander Miguel Moreno, and the Valencian Ernesto Gorbe, according to confirmation by the newspaper El País.
The measure comes amid intense political tension in Venezuela and significant international pressure for the release of individuals detained for political reasons, many of whom have been described by human rights organizations as victims of arbitrary detention.
Authorities have insisted that the release is a voluntary act and does not stem from formal negotiations with the opposition or foreign governments. However, there are indications that the measures taken by Venezuela’s interim executive are closely linked to conditions imposed by the United States, raising questions about the true scope and autonomy of this decision.
The NGO Foro Penal counts 902 political prisoners in Venezuela, of whom 86 hold another nationality or dual citizenship.
