Venezuela opposition leader calls for continued pressure for all political prisoners' freedom

Dinorah Figuera, president of Venezuela's 2015 elected National Assembly, expressed hope Friday for the ongoing release of political prisoners. However, she stressed that the process must continue until all individuals are free and their rights fully restored.

"With hope for the reunion of Venezuelan families, we receive the information about the releases. They are not all, and they deserve full freedom. Let's keep demanding without rest until every citizen is reunited with their family," Figuera wrote on X.

Her statement came as organizations such as Foro Penal, Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, and the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners were verifying the releases from various detention centers. Foro Penal reported an increasing number of confirmed releases throughout the afternoon, urging patience for case verification.

Figuera's reaction follows a meeting on August 11 with families and former political prisoners. They presented her with a communication requesting that the situation of those detained for political reasons be included in the opposition's ongoing dialogue with the government. Participants in that meeting included deputies Ramón López and Jorge Millán, along with former political prisoners Américo De Grazia, Ángel Aristimuño, and Roberto Marrero. Families shared their relatives' cases and urged that releases be prioritized.

Two days later, Figuera committed to working towards new releases, linking this effort to the recovery of political guarantees and civil rights. The current releases represent progress for some families, but the demand for the return of all detained individuals remains. As of August 12, Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón had counted 502 political prisoners, underscoring the need for the process to continue until everyone detained for political reasons is freed. Figuera, who led the opposition delegation in the first round of talks with the government, has emphasized that the issue of political prisoners must remain a key demand after the initial stage of negotiations. Her message on Friday aimed to prevent the releases from being seen as a final goal and to maintain pressure for the reunion of all families.

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With hope for the reunion of Venezuelan families, we receive the information about the releases. They are not all, and they deserve full freedom. Let's keep demanding without rest until every citizen is reunited with their family.