Dhaka 13 October, 2026

Venezuela Says It Will Free 'Important Number' of Prisoners

Deutsche Welle

Publish : 09 Jan 2026, 12:06 PM
President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez, who had been earlier sanctioned by the US, announces the prisoner release. -Deutsche Welle Photo

The brother of Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, didn't say how many political prisoners would be released. Meanwhile, the US Senate has voted to curb further military operations in Venezuela by Donald Trump.

The Venezuela government on Thursday said it will release an "important number" of prisoners, including some foreigners.

The move follows the kidnapping of the now-deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an attack by US forces last weekend.

Why Is Venezuela Releasing Political Prisoners?

National Assembly head Jorge Rodriguez, the brother of Venezuela's new interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, said the release "is happening right now." He did not specify how many prisoners would be released.

Jorge Rodriguez said the release is for the sake of "peaceful coexistence." The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said five Spaniards are among the prisoners being released.

Read More

"The government of Spain welcomes the liberation today in Caracas of five Spaniards, one of them a dual national, who are preparing to travel to Spain," a statement from the ministry said.

Venezuelan human rights organization Penal Forum (Foro Penal) and its director Alfredo Romero welcomed the news in a post on X. The group earlier said that as of January 5, there were still 806 political prisoners in Venezuela and called for their release.

US Senate Votes to Curb Trump's Military Operations in Venezuela

Meanwhile, the extraordinary raid last weekend by the US military to capture Maduro has sparked a debate on whether US President Donald Trump should be limited in pursuing further action in Venezuela.

The US Senate on Thursday approved a war powers resolution that would prohibit Trump from further military action in Venezuela without congressional authorization.

Fifty-two senators, including five from Trump's Republican Party, voted in support of the measure.

Trump, who has suggested he could order further operations in Venezuela, plans to veto the bill. He said the Republican senators who voted for the measure "should never be elected to office again."

Both the Senate and the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, would each need a two-thirds majority to override the veto. This is an unlikely scenario in an extremely polarized Congress, with most Republican lawmakers still staunchly behind the president.

Follow google news channel to get RTV news Google News
Iran Offers to Mediate as Saudi-Houthi Fighting Escalates
Iran has expressed deep concern over escalating fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthi rebels, offering to help facilitate dialogue.
Iran Offers to Mediate as Saudi-Houthi Fighting Escalates
US Federal Agents Search Home of Trump Critic Ilhan Omar
Justice Department officials said the Washington residence of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, an outspoken opponent of President Trump, was raided as "part of an ongoing federal investigation."
US Federal Agents Search Home of Trump Critic Ilhan Omar
Houthis Launch Missile Attack on Riyadh for Third Consecutive Day
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched missile strikes against the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for a third consecutive day. Amid the claims of the attack originating from Yemen, multiple powerful explosions were reported across Riyadh, though the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen claimed to have intercepted the incoming fire.
Houthis Launch Missile Attack on Riyadh for Third Consecutive Day
Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford Jointly Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics
Two American economists, Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford, have been jointly awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics in recognition of their pioneering research on the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stability.
Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford Jointly Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics
Allegations of Arresting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Following Declaration of Emergency
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the party's provincial president, Junaid Akbar, have been arrested, framing the move as "political vendetta."
Allegations of Arresting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Following Declaration of Emergency
Read More
China Ready to Boost Ties with all Political Parties in Bangladesh: Envoy Yao
Voting Underway Across 152 Constituencies Amid High Tension
US Lifts Sanctions on Venezuela's Acting President
Venezuela Decrees Week-Long Work Suspension amid Heatwave and Energy Crisis