Venezuela frees dozens of political prisoners after election unrest
Venezuelan authorities have released more than 100 people arrested following July’s contested presidential election, according to a local rights group.
“Up to now, we have verified 107 political prisoners, due to the post-electoral situation, released in Venezuela,” said Alfredo Romero of NGO Foro Penal.
The group said more than 1,800 people were arrested for their role in mass protests after the July election.
Electoral authorities loyal to President Nicolás Maduro announced him the victor, but the claim has been widely rejected by the international community.
After Maduro claimed victory, anti-government protests erupted.
Hundreds have been charged with crimes including terrorism, incitement to hatred and resistance to authority, according to Human Rights Watch.
Foro Penal said prisoners had been released at four different prisons. Videos published on social media showed prisoners being released to cheers from onlookers.
Maduro is set to begin his third six-year term in January. Official results for July’s election published by the National Electoral Council (CNE) claimed Maduro, 61, won 52% of the vote to opposition candidate Edmundo González’s 43%.
The opposition, however, said it had evidence González had won by a comfortable margin, and uploaded detailed voting tallies to the internet which suggest González beat Maduro convincingly.
The CNE said it could not publish the voting records because the data had been corrupted by hackers.
González was granted political asylum in Spain in September.
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