Venezuelan authorities have released 86 teenagers, out of a total of 114 minors held in detention since the start of the country’s political crisis following the disputed re-election of Nicolas Maduro at the end of July, authorities said on Sunday, 1is September, the NGO Penal Forum.
“From August 29 to 1is September, the Penal Forum has [pu] check 86 releases (…) of adolescents (aged 14 to 17), detained since July 29, in the context of post-election protests in Venezuela”said the organization, which defends the “political prisoners” across the country. The day before, Foro Penal had reported 40 precautionary releases, and two days earlier, 16 others.
Of the 86 minors, 74 are men and 12 are women. The releases took place across 14 of the country’s 24 states, including the capital district.
According to records from the Penal Forum, 114 teenagers have been arrested and charged with terrorism or treason following the protests against Mr. Maduro’s re-election, which the opposition has denounced as a « fraude massive » of socialist power.
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Arrests of minors
Authorities have not commented on the arrests of minors or their releases. They have, however, confirmed that 2,400 people have been detained. Of this total, the Penal Forum counted 1,581 “political prisoners” and continues to receive complaints.
“What this regime has done is unprecedented in Venezuela. [Nicolas] Maduro kidnaps children, he has violated their rights and dignity, separating them from their families and condemning them to terror”said Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in a message on the social network Instagram, demanding the release of all adolescents and political prisoners.
Mr Maduro built two high-security prisons, Tocuyito and Tocoron, which were long run by criminal gangs until they were taken over by law enforcement in 2023. Some 700 inmates were transferred to the prisons this week, according to the NGO Venezuelan Prison Observatory.
The announcement of the re-election of Nicolas Maduro, 61, sparked spontaneous demonstrations that left 27 dead and 192 injured, according to official sources. Foro Penal denounced last week an explosion in the number of “political prisoners”which rose from 199 on July 28, before the election, to 1,780 currently, the highest number in nearly twenty-five years.
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