NGOs confirm release of 82 individuals, fewer than announced by Venezuela's interim government

The NGO Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón (JEP) confirmed on Sunday that 82 individuals have been released, a figure lower than the 131 announced by Venezuela's interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez. Through direct monitoring and verification, the organization stated that some of the released individuals were not on their registry of political prisoners.

JEP is continuing to verify the legal status of each case, with its team cross-referencing information and reviewing case files to determine the exact legal nature of each individual. The NGO reiterated its commitment to accuracy in data consolidation and to providing comprehensive support to victims and their families, vowing to continue the verification process.

In a separate update, the NGO Foro Penal confirmed the release of at least 78 political prisoners as of Sunday morning. This figure, according to the organization's vice president Gonzalo Himiob, represents only cases that Foro Penal has directly corroborated amidst the government's announced releases. The organization stressed the importance of awaiting verified information before disseminating definitive figures, noting that the number remains under review.

The Venezuelan government, through Minister of Communication and Information Miguel Pérez Pirela, had previously announced that a total of 131 individuals would receive "alternative measures to deprivation of liberty." These measures were reportedly agreed upon by the Republic's courts at the Public Ministry's request, following an evaluation of the legal situations of individuals prosecuted or convicted for offenses related to attacks against democratic institutions, peace, and national development.