Venezuela releases political prisoners after political shift
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Non-governmental organizations Comité por la Libertad de los Presos Políticos (Clippve) and Espacio Público reported the full release of Renny Regino González, Nudre Javier Chourio, and Manuel Alejandro Bohórquez after a court absolved them on September 22nd.
The three men had been detained and accused of terrorism in August 2024 for alleged links to a WhatsApp group in Zulia state, following the presidential elections.
González and Chourio spent over two years in prison, while Bohórquez, who has cancer, was previously released under house arrest. Their families paid money to prevent transfers between cities, but the men were moved from Maracaibo to the Tocorón Penitentiary in February 2025, and later to Yare II, remaining imprisoned until March 2026. Clippve noted that González has only one kidney and experienced pain while incarcerated, but was denied medical testing.
These releases follow broader political changes that began on January 3rd, 2026, with the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Since then, the acting president Delcy Rodríguez has reported the release of 1,046 people considered political prisoners, a figure supported by international observers like US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While the Foro Penal verified 110 releases at the end of January, and counted 97 more between August 31st and September 14th, over 300 political prisoners remain in Venezuela.
