Venezuela’s top lawmaker and brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday announced that Caracas would release certain political prisoners held captive, following demands from the US.
“The Bolivarian government, together with state institutions, has decided to release a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign individuals, and these release processes are taking place as of this very moment,” Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said.
More than 800 political prisoners are believed to be held captive, including at least five Americans, according to advocates.
The announcement comes as Delcy Rodriguez has been under pressure to release prisoners — who are often subjected to torture — as a show of “goodwill” that they are willing to work with Washington.
The Trump administration had also privately asked for the prisoners’ release in their dealings with Delcy Rodriguez since toppling dictator Nicolas Maduro with an arrest raid on Saturday, multiple sources familiar told The Post.
