Venezuela re-arrests opposition figure amid prisoner release initiative

Venezuelan Interior and Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that 896 detainees have been released since December, revising an initial figure of 897 after one individual was taken back into custody. The reversal underscores the conditional nature of the release program, which has unfolded amid significant political shifts following the U.S. capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Release Terms Violated, Official Says

The person rearrested was identified as opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa. Minister Cabello stated that Guanipa violated the conditions set for his freedom shortly after being released on Sunday. Guanipa, detained since May 2025, had made public statements and joined a caravan to detention centers where families of political prisoners were gathered. "Some politicians believed they could do whatever they wanted and create chaos in the country by violating the very conditions under which they were given freedom," Cabello said, framing the action as a necessary enforcement of legal commitments.

Guanipa's Brief Freedom and Detention

Following his release, Guanipa told press he was committed to national reconciliation "with the truth" and affirmed Venezuela's right to be a free country. However, prosecutors stated his conduct breached the terms of his release. He was subsequently returned to custody, with authorities indicating he could be placed under house arrest to safeguard ongoing criminal proceedings.

Political Context: Post-Maduro Shifts

The prisoner releases occur in the wake of the arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. authorities last month, an event that drastically altered Venezuela's political dynamics. Since then, interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, previously the vice president, has begun recalibrating the country's foreign policy. Reports indicate her administration is engaging with the U.S. government under President Donald Trump and redirecting Venezuelan oil exports toward the United States.