SAN FRANCISCO DE YARE, Venezuela (AP) 鈥� As Di贸genes Angulo was freed Saturday from a Venezuelan prison after a year and five months, he, his mother and his aunt trembled and struggled for words. Nearby, at least a dozen other families hoped for similar reunions.
Angulo鈥檚 release came on the third day that families had gathered outside prisons in the capital, Caracas, and other communities hoping to see loved ones walk out after government pledged to free what it described as a significant number of prisoners. Members of Venezuela鈥檚 political opposition, activists, journalists and soldiers were among the detainees that families hoped would be released.
Angulo was detained two days before the 2024 presidential election after he posted a video of an opposition demonstration in Barinas, the home state of the late President Hugo Ch谩vez. He was 17 at the time.
鈥淭hank God, I鈥檓 going to enjoy my family again,鈥� he told The Associated Press, adding that others still detained 鈥渁re well鈥� and have high hopes of being released soon. His faith, he said, gave him the strength to keep going during his detention.
Minutes after he was freed, the now 19-year-old learned had been captured by U.S. forces Jan. 3 in a nighttime raid in Caracas.
Venezuela’s government on Thursday pledged to free a significant number of prisoners in what it described as a gesture to 鈥渟eek peace.鈥� Officials have not identified or given a number of prisoners being considered for release, leaving rights groups scouring for hints of information and families to watch the hours tick by with no word.
said the release of people detained for political reasons came at Washington鈥檚 request.
“Venezuela has started the process, in a BIG WAY, of releasing their political prisoners,” Trump wrote Saturday on his Truth Social platform. 鈥淭hank you! I hope those prisoners will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done.鈥�
Trump added that should prisoners forget, 鈥渋t will not be good for them.鈥�
As of Saturday night, only 16 , according to Foro Penal, a Venezuelan advocacy group for prisoners. Eight hundred and four remained imprisoned, the group said.
A brother of human rights attorney Roc铆o San Miguel, one of the first to be released and who immediately relocated to Spain, said in a statement that her release 鈥渋s not full freedom, but rather a precautionary measure substituting deprivation of liberty.鈥� The conditions of her release ban her from speaking to the media.
鈥淭his situation does not constitute exile, nor a waiver of her rights, but is part of the humanitarian and diplomatic agreements reached to facilitate her release,鈥� Jos茅 Manuel San Miguel said of his sister’s move to Spain.
Among the prominent members of the country鈥檚 political opposition who were detained after the and remain in prison are former lawmaker Freddy Superlano and Perkins Rocha, lawyer for opposition leader . Juan Pablo Guanipa, a former governor and one of Machado’s closest allies, and Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonz谩lez, also remain imprisoned.
One week after the U.S. military intervention in Caracas, Venezuelans aligned with the government marched in several cities across the country demanding the return of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The pair were captured and transferred to the U.S., where they face charges including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism. Both pleaded not guilty.
In Caracas, many demonstrators waved Venezuelan flags and chanted, 鈥淢aduro, keep on going, the people are rising.鈥�
, speaking at a public social-sector event in Caracas, again condemned the U.S. military action on Saturday.
鈥淭here is a government, that of President Nicol谩s Maduro, and I have the responsibility to take charge while his kidnapping lasts … We will not stop condemning the criminal aggression,鈥� she said, referring to Maduro鈥檚 ousting.
After the shocking military action that overthrew Maduro, Trump stated the U.S. would 鈥渞un鈥� the South American country and demanded access to oil resources, which he promised to use 鈥渢o benefit the people鈥� of both nations.
鈥淚 love the Venezuelan people and I am already making Venezuela prosperous and safe again,鈥� Trump said in his Saturday post.
The U.S. and Venezuelan governments on Friday announced they are evaluating the , broken since 2019, and the reopening of their respective diplomatic missions. A U.S. delegation visited Venezuela for several hours Friday.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yv谩n Gil responded to Pope Leo XIV’s statement Friday calling for maintaining peace and 鈥渞especting the will of the Venezuelan people.鈥�
鈥淲ith respect for the Holy Father and his spiritual authority, Venezuela reaffirms that it is a country that builds, works, and defends its sovereignty with peace and dignity,鈥� Gil said in a social media post, inviting the pontiff 鈥渢o get to know this reality more closely.鈥�
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