Rocío San Miguel and four other Spaniards are among those released, confirmed the Foreign Ministry of Spain
14ymedio, Madrid, January 8, 2026 — The president of the National Assembly and chief negotiator for Chavismo, Jorge Rodríguez, announced on Thursday that the regime “has begun the release of a significant number of Venezuelans and foreigners,” without specifying how many or whom the measure includes. It has been presented as a gesture to “consolidate peace and peaceful coexistence.”
The announcement avoids detailing criteria, timelines, or lists. Nor does it clarify whether the releases are definitive or whether they involve precautionary measures, a recurring practice in Venezuela that allows the state to maintain judicial and political control over those released. Human rights organizations warn that this type of announcement is often accompanied by new arrests, in a “revolving door” dynamic that does not reduce the total number of people imprisoned for political reasons. The decision reinforces U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Delcy Rodríguez is cooperating with Washington, even as Chavismo continues to appeal publicly to rhetoric of sovereignty and external confrontation.
According to the most recent records from Foro Penal, 863 people considered political prisoners remain incarcerated in Venezuela, including 86 foreigners of various nationalities. Added to that figure are hundreds of citizens subject to restrictive measures such as periodic court appearances, bans on leaving the country, and house arrest. They are not counted as prisoners but live under judicial supervision. The tally includes military personnel and civilians, political leaders, activists, students, and citizens detained after protests or accused of conspiracy.
According to the most recent records from Foro Penal, 863 people considered political prisoners remain incarcerated in Venezuela.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed the identities of the five Spaniards released by Venezuela on Thursday: José María Basoa, Andrés Martínez Adasme, Miguel Moreno Dapena, Ernesto Gorbe Cardona, and the Spanish-Venezuelan Rocío San Miguel.
The main prisons and detention centers holding the largest number of prisoners of conscience are well known for reports of torture, incommunicado detention, and cruel treatment. Among them are El Helicoide and La Tumba, headquarters of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) in Caracas; the Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence; and prisons such as Tocorón and Rodeo I, as well as police commands and military holding cells throughout the country. Relatives and lawyers report systematic obstacles to visits, procedural delays, and fabricated case files.
From the United States, Senator Marco Rubio recently reiterated that the release of all political prisoners must be a central condition of any transition process or understanding with Caracas. Rubio has warned that selective or temporary releases do not amount to real change and has called for verifiable guarantees, access for international organizations, and an end to arbitrary detentions as minimum signs of respect for human rights.
In the same vein, opposition leader María Corina Machado has reiterated: “There can be no transition until the political prisoners are released. That is the first thing that has to happen in the next few hours.” The former lawmaker also believes that “the only thing that sustained Maduro and this weak criminal structure was fear. If terror is removed, nothing remains.”
The international community, for its part, has called for clarity. The European Union, the United Nations, and organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have demanded verifiable information on the scope of the releases and access to detention centers. The opacity of Rodríguez’s announcement, without figures, names, or a timetable, makes any independent assessment difficult.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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