A “peace” gesture with action movie timing
In a twist that no one saw coming (well, maybe everyone after a foreign army stormed in), the Venezuelan government announced this Thursday that it will release a “significant number” of imprisoned citizens and foreigners. The reason? A laudable desire to consolidate peace and coexistence. Of course, because nothing fosters harmony like a US military intervention and the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro five days earlier. A coincidence, without a doubt.
“These release processes are happening from this very moment,” solemnly declared Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and brother of the new president in charge. He stated that they seek peaceful coexistence without political distinctions. What he did not specify, in a show of transparency, was how many people will actually leave. A hundred? A dozen? The guy who cut into the bread line? The mystery is part of the charm.
Reactions: between relief and “it’s about time”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain celebrated the release of five Spaniards. For its part, the Penal Forum, a civil organization, kindly recalled that as of December there were 863 people detained for political reasons, a figure that the authorities, of course, flatly deny. To them, they’re just a bunch of disorder enthusiasts planning destabilizing picnics.
Outside the dungeons, the scene was worthy of a drama. Relatives waited anxiously in front of penitentiary centers like El Rodeo or mentioned El Helicoide, that headquarters of SEBIN that began as a temporary hotel and became a long-term residence. “We are very anxious… waiting for God to bless us,” said a family member. Because in these situations, who else to turn to?
The expectation crossed the pond to Argentina, where friends and relatives of Argentine detainees met in Buenos Aires. There was the girlfriend of Nahuel Gallo, an Argentine non-commissioned officer detained more than a year ago on a terrorism accusation that his family rejects. “If not today, let it be soon… we have fought a lot,” he declared, hugging his son. A t-shirt with a liberation message is the official *outfit* for the occasion.
The elephant in the room: a country without its “captured” leader
All this sudden clemency occurs in the surreal post-capture of Maduro context. The former president, now an involuntary resident in the United States, pleaded not guilty before a court in New York to narcoterrorism charges. Meanwhile, her former vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as acting president for an indefinite period of time. Elections in 30 days? No, thanks. The absolute foul was not declared, a technicality as convenient as it was timely.
The opposition, led by figures such as María Corina Machado, demands that Edmundo González Urrutia, whom they consider the legitimate president elected in 2024, takes power. On the other hand, Donald Trump has made it clear that the United States plans to administer the country, dropping pearls such as that Machado lacks the necessary “respect.” Because if there is something that defines respect, it is the opinions of a former foreign president on the internal politics of another country.
In the midst of this chaos, Jorge Rodríguez affirms that dialogue exists… but only with those who are not “extremists” and abide by the constitution. A definition so elastic that it could include anyone who doesn’t say “yes” to everything. Without mentioning Machado, of course. His whereabouts are unknown, but his opinion, expressed on networks, is clear: Maduro faces international justice for atrocious crimes.
As it is, Venezuela is navigating an absurd chapter where liberations are both a ray of hope and a political movement calculated on an international chess board. The political turmoil does not stop, and each announcement comes with a dose of skepticism. Genuine humanitarian gesture or maneuver to appease the international community and calm domestic waters? The answer, such as the exact number of those released, remains up in the air.
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