More than a month after the contested re-election of Nicolas Maduro as head of the country, 86 teenagers have been released by the Venezuelan authorities, announced an NGO which defends “political prisoners”.
Venezuelan authorities have released 86 teenagers, out of a total of 114 minors detained since the start of the political crisis the country has been going through following the contested re-election of Nicolas Maduro at the end of July, the NGO Foro Penal reported on Sunday, September 1.
“From August 29 to September 1, the Penal Forum was able to verify 86 releases (…) of adolescents (aged 14 to 17), detained since July 29, in the context of the post-election protests in Venezuela,” said this organization which defends “political prisoners” across the country.
The day before, Foro Penal reported 40 releases as precautionary measures, and two days earlier, 16 others. Of these 86 minors, 74 are men and 12 are women. The releases took place in 14 of the country’s 24 states, including the capital district.
“Maduro kidnaps children”
According to the records of the Penal Forum, 114 teenagers were arrested and accused of terrorism or treason following the protests against the re-election of Nicolas Maduro denounced by the opposition as a “massive fraud” by the socialist power.
Authorities have not commented on the arrests of minors or on the releases. However, they have confirmed that 2,400 people have been detained. Of this total, the Penal Forum has counted 1,581 “political prisoners” and continues to receive complaints.
“What this regime has done is unprecedented in Venezuela. 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.
Nicolas Maduro built two high-security prisons, Tocuyito and Tocoron, which were long under the control of criminal gangs until they were occupied by law enforcement in 2023. Some 700 inmates were transferred to these prisons this week, according to the NGO Venezuelan Prisons Observatory.
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