Venezuela rights activist Javier Tarazona was freed from the notorious Helicoide jail amid prisoner releases announced by interim President Delcy Rodríguez. Foro Penal reported more than 300 political prisoners have been released since January, including Tarazona alongside several others from the Helicoide.
Tarazona is the director of FundaRedes, which investigates alleged abuses by Colombian and Venezuelan military groups along their shared border. He was arrested in July 2021 on terrorism and conspiracy charges. His release came after months of advocating for an amnesty law to free political prisoners who have served unjust sentences.
The government has promised hundreds more releases but does not specify how many or which inmates will be freed. Families have demanded that detentions against those considered political prisoners should be overturned, a stance supported by Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Many relatives of detainees remain skeptical about the pace of release announcements.
Opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, lawyer Perkins Rocha (who is close to Machado), and Voluntad Popular party leader Freddy Superlano are still in jail along with others like Rafael Tudares, son-in-law of former presidential candidate Edmundo González. Foro Penal estimates more than 700 political prisoners remain behind bars.
The recent releases were announced after U.S. authorities arrested President Nicolas Maduro on narcoterrorism charges, which he denies. A UN report from 2022 alleged torture by state security agencies in the Helicoide, a facility originally designed as a mall that has since become notorious for prisoner abuse.
Critics argue the government’s list of who will be released is vague and do not provide an official tally. Despite such promises, many detained have waited years to see justice done. Foro Penal has tracked more than 300 political prisoners freed in this process but estimates over 700 remain behind bars, with some fearing their loved ones’ detention remains unreported.
The Helicoide’s transition into a center for sports and social services marks part of interim President Rodríguez’s pledge to address abuse within the system. However, many believe such reforms won’t alleviate the suffering experienced by those incarcerated without just cause or fair trials.