Two leading members of Venezuela’s political opposition were freed on Thursday, in a move described by officials as a goodwill gesture amid heightened political tension.

Human rights groups welcomed the development cautiously, highlighting the ongoing struggle over political freedoms in the country.

The Venezuelan government began releasing detainees classified as political prisoners by rights groups, according to Foro Penal and local journalists. Among those freed were Enrique Marquez, 62, a politician who supported opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in the 2024 presidential election, and Biagio Pilieri, an opposition party leader and lawmaker critical of the government.

Spain’s foreign ministry confirmed the release of five of its nationals, including rights activist Rocío San Miguel, who was previously detained in February 2024 near Maiquetia airport.

Officials frame release as national unity move

Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and brother of interim President Delcy Rodríguez, announced on state television that a “significant number” of prisoners would be released immediately. He emphasized the gesture was intended to promote “national unity and peaceful coexistence” without specifying the total number.

Despite this, hundreds of political prisoners remain detained across the country, with only a handful confirmed to have been released so far.

Human rights concerns

Many opposition figures have been held in notorious facilities such as El Helicoide prison, where human rights groups report torture, including beatings and electrocution. US President Donald Trump, who recently oversaw the capture of Nicolás Maduro, announced plans to close El Helicoide, citing its symbolic role in political repression.

Venezuelan organizations, including Provea, warned that closing El Helicoide should not distract from the other detention sites still operating across the country.

International context

The release comes shortly after Trump’s intervention in Caracas, which led to Maduro’s capture for facing drug trafficking charges in New York. Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who has several allies in prison, praised the gesture and expressed her intention to meet Trump in the United States next week to offer her Nobel medal.

For years, Venezuela’s opposition and human rights groups have criticized the government for using detentions to silence dissent, particularly following the disputed 2024 elections. Authorities, including Attorney General Tarek Saab, have repeatedly denied holding political prisoners, insisting that all detainees were arrested for legitimate crimes.