Following the release of a small number of persons arbitrarily detained in Venezuela on 8 January 2026 out of a total of around one thousand politically-motivated arbitrary detainees (according to local civil society organizations), which included prisoner of conscience Rocío San Miguel and Spanish nationals like Jose María Basoa and Andrés Martínez, as well as political leader Enrique Márquez and journalist Biagio Pilieri, Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:
“The end of each arbitrary detention is a necessary and long-awaited-for relief for the victims who have been released. The fact that unfairly detained persons, such as prisoner of conscience Rocío San Miguel, have been able to reunite with their loved ones is good news. This does not mean these measures are enough, considering the fact that hundreds remain arbitrarily detained for political reasons, including human rights defenders such as Kennedy Tejeda, Javier Tarazona, Eduardo Torres, and Carlos Julio Rojas. Amnesty International demands their immediate release and that of the hundreds of persons who remain detained and whose families and communities await their freedom, following the announcements made by the Rodríguez government.”
“We want to recognize the tireless struggle of the families and the organizations that accompany them; we join their call for justice and reparations, and for guarantees that no one else will be detained for political reasons in Venezuela,” Piquer added.
Amnesty International rejects that any of those released, having been a victim of politically-motivated arbitrary detention, continues to be subjected to arbitrary and discriminatory investigations and criminal proceedings by the Venezuelan authorities. These proceedings often include measures that restrict their personal liberty, such as prohibition from leaving the country or periodic reporting before a court, but they also perpetuate fear and the revictimization of victims. That is why the organization reiterates its call for all releases to be accompanied by the definitive and unconditional closure of criminal proceedings against each victim.
“The fact that the Venezuelan government’s policy of repression remains intact and in force should not go unnoticed. On 3 January, a state of external commotion was established by executive decree, which includes an article urging authorities to ‘search for and capture throughout the national territory any person involved in the promotion or support of the armed attack by the United States of America against the territory of the Republic.’”
Just this week, in the days prior to these releases, the organization received numerous reports of new arbitrary detentions, including 14 journalists who were subsequently released. The cruel revolving door of detentions and releases must cease once and for all.
The widespread and systematic practice of politically motivated arbitrary detentions is part of a state policy that seeks to silence dissent, whether real or perceived as such. These are crimes against humanity that are being investigated by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, as well as by national courts under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Amnesty International recalls that, to the extent that people continue to be arbitrarily detained for political reasons – some in urgent need of medical attention, such as Emirlendris Benítez – we are talking about a serious human rights violation and a crime under international law which is being committed by the Venezuelan authorities to this day.
“We call in the strongest terms to dismantle the policy of repression, cease arbitrary detentions for political reasons, and investigate people – up to the highest level – who have individual criminal responsibility for these serious violations of human rights and crimes against humanity.”
