322 Venezuelan political detainees remain in custody as Rubio pushes for releases

The US government is pressing Venezuela to free the last of its political prisoners. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue during a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco on Monday. The two officials also discussed reforms meant to prepare the country for free and fair elections.

More than 1,000 political prisoners have been released since US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military raid in Caracas on January 3. Maduro was transported to New York, where he faces trial for drug trafficking and torture. However, Foro Penal, a Venezuelan prisoners' rights organization, reports that 322 people remain detained.

Securing the release of these individuals has been a central goal for opposition leader María Corina Machado. Machado, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, returned to Venezuela on October 25 after spending nearly a year in exile. Her first meetings upon arrival included relatives of the remaining political detainees.

Most of the current detainees were held following the disputed 2024 presidential election. The National Electoral Council, which is dominated by government loyalists, declared Maduro the winner. Independent media and opposition groups reviewed voting tally copies that indicated the opposition candidate had won. The Carter Center, which sent independent observers to the election, concluded that the vote did not meet democratic standards.

A UN fact-finding mission later determined that the Venezuelan government organized severe repression in the months after the election. The mission described actions against people viewed as political opponents and those who expressed dissent or criticism of the authorities.

Following Maduro's capture, his loyal vice-president Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president. The Trump administration supports her, though Venezuelan opposition parties have grown impatient with the speed of reforms. The State Department reaffirmed support for President Donald Trump's three-phase plan on Monday. This plan includes stabilization, economic recovery, and political reconciliation, leading to a democratic transition.

Rubio told reporters a week before the meeting that Venezuela must replace its electoral infrastructure before a new election can be considered valid. He urged for swift action within US-established timelines. Days later, Rodríguez stated in a televised address that elections would occur under a renewed electoral authority, without setting a specific date. Machado has called for elections in 2027, previously suggesting July 24, the anniversary of Simón Bolívar's birth.