The Daily Journal – Foro Penal, an NGO that provides legal defense for political prisoners in Venezuela, confirmed that authorities have released 20 detainees since Friday, the day the second round of U.S.-backed talks between Chavismo and the opposition concluded. Those released include at least six people linked to the failed maritime attack against the Venezuelan government in 2020.
According to a list Foro Penal published on its website on Sunday, the six people linked to the so-called “Operation Gideon” who left prison are Leonardo Chirinos Parra, Justo Pastor Daza, Alejandro Torres Rodríguez, Juan Fredd Acosta, Cosme Alcalá and Juan Torres.
A group of former Venezuelan military personnel who had deserted the Armed Forces carried out the operation on May 3, 2020, alongside three members of a U.S. private security team. They attempted to enter Venezuela through the coasts of La Guaira and Aragua, where authorities detained them. The United States denied any involvement in the attack, as did former opposition lawmaker Juan Guaidó, who described it as a “setup.”
According to the list, all those released since Friday are Venezuelan nationals, and most left detention facilities in Miranda state, in northern Venezuela, including El Rodeo, Yare and Ramo Verde.
On Saturday, Foro Penal Vice President Gonzalo Himiob told EFE that the organization had received information about approximately 20 releases but was verifying each case.
Other organizations also reported releases. Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón (JEP) reported 39 releases, although 17 of those individuals did not appear in its political-prisoner records. Surgentes, meanwhile, reported the release of eight women linked to “Tancol,” a term local authorities use to refer to “armed Colombian drug-trafficking terrorists.”
For its part, the largest opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), said it had recorded the release of 33 political prisoners since August 21.
According to Foro Penal, Venezuela held 344 political prisoners before these releases.
With information from EFE.
