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Opposition urges Trump to maintain pressure on Venezuela
The son of a detained Venezuelan opposition leader has cautioned US President Donald Trump against trusting the country's interim government, alleging that only a fraction of promised political prisoners have been freed.
Trump praises releases amid skepticism
On Saturday, Trump thanked Venezuelan authorities for initiating what he called a large-scale prisoner release. "They have started the process, in a BIG WAY," he wrote on social media. The statement followed an announcement by Venezuela's government that it would free detainees classified as political prisoners by human rights organizations.
The move came days after US forces detained President Nicolás Maduro in a 3 January raid on Caracas and transferred him to New York on drug trafficking charges.
Discrepancies in release figures
Jorge Rodríguez, leader of Venezuela's National Assembly and brother of Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, initially pledged the "immediate" release of an "important number" of Venezuelan and foreign detainees. On Monday, the government claimed over 100 prisoners had been freed, though human rights groups have confirmed only about 40 releases.
Among those confirmed freed are several prominent opposition figures, including five Spanish citizens. Spain's foreign ministry verified the release of human rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel.
"I hope these prisoners will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done."
Donald Trump, US President
Families demand faster action
Relatives of those still imprisoned have expressed frustration over the limited releases. Ramón Guanipa, whose father Juan Pablo Guanipa remains jailed, told BBC Mundo that Trump "must not be fooled" by the government's gestures.
"I want to thank President Trump for the pressure he's applied. He's been our greatest ally," Guanipa said. "But if he thinks this is going alright, it is not."
Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was arrested in May 2025 after being accused of terrorism and treason for contesting the 2024 presidential election results. The UN and US dismissed the election as lacking transparency.
Families left in limbo
Outside Caracas's El Helicoide prison-a former shopping center turned detention facility-families maintain a tense vigil. Carmen Farfán, whose son José Gregorio Reyes was detained in November 2025, said she has received no updates on his whereabouts.
"We hope they tell us where they are keeping them. We are desperate. We've been waiting for many days without any answers."
Carmen Farfán, relative of detained prisoner
Venezuela's government has not responded to requests for comment on the pace of releases, and the attorney general declined an interview with the BBC.
Test of US influence
The prisoner releases are seen as an early test of Trump's leverage in Venezuela following Maduro's removal. While Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has signaled willingness to cooperate with Washington, her public statements have condemned US intervention.
Opposition groups and human rights activists argue that freeing political prisoners is a critical step toward a power transition, but the slow pace of releases has fueled doubts about the interim government's commitment.
