Rick Scott questions Venezuela’s political-prisoner releases, says detainees remain jailed

U.S. Senator Rick Scott is challenging Venezuela’s announcement that it had released political prisoners, saying several detainees remain behind bars.

In a post on X, Scott named Nelson Rivero, Jorge Henrique Alayeto Bigott and Oscar Caamaño as people he said were still imprisoned. He also questioned whether releases could be considered complete when some of those freed remained under judicial restrictions.

“

The Maduro regime, now led by Delcy Rodríguez, said ALL political prisoners would be released. Yet Nelson Rivero, Jorge Henrique Alayeto Bigott and Oscar Caamaño, just to name a few, remain behind bars.

“The Maduro regime, now led by Delcy Rodríguez, said ALL political prisoners would be released. Yet Nelson Rivero, Jorge Henrique Alayeto Bigott and Oscar Caamaño, just to name a few, remain behind bars,” Scott wrote. He called for every political prisoner to be freed “immediately and without conditions.”

“

The truth is simple: the regime has NOT released them all.

Human rights organizations continue to verify the scope of the releases announced in August. Foro Penal reported 328 political prisoners as of August 31, including 183 civilians and 145 members of the military. It said 140 had been convicted and 188 remained without a sentence.

The organization recorded 89 releases during the final week of August and added 26 new cases. Its review also pointed to a gap between the government’s figures and independent verification. The government announced on August 14 that 131 people had been released, while Foro Penal’s individual review progressively confirmed a lower number. The releases followed an initial round of talks between representatives of Chavismo and opposition sectors. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights welcomed the measures but called for those still arbitrarily detained to receive full and unconditional freedom.

“

Immediately and without conditions.