The US has called on Venezuelan authorities to release all political prisoners

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting on Monday with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco, calling for the release of the remaining political prisoners in the country. As reported by BBC News, the parties also discussed the implementation of reforms necessary to prepare for free, fair, and credible elections.

According to the Venezuelan human rights group Foro Penal, 322 people remain in custody at present, although over a thousand political prisoners have already been released. The releases began after US military forces detained Nicolas Maduro during a raid in Caracas on January 3 and transported him to New York, where he appeared in court on charges of drug trafficking and torture. A significant portion of those detained were arrested following the controversial 2024 presidential election.

The release of prisoners is being consistently pursued by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025. The politician returned to her homeland on October 25 after nearly a year of life in exile and immediately met with the families of political prisoners. Machado insists on organizing general elections next year, having previously mentioned the date of July 24, 2027 — the anniversary of Simon Bolivar's birthday.

The State Department confirmed its commitment to President Donald Trump's three-stage plan: stabilization, economic recovery with political reconciliation, and a subsequent democratic transition. Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez previously stated that the voting will take place under the auspices of a renewed electoral body, although the exact dates for the elections have not yet been announced.