# Venezuelan families demand political prisoner release

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/venezuelan-families-demand-political-prisoner-release
> Updated: 2026-08-05T16:55:58.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 6.

Families of Venezuela’s political detainees continued public pressure after the August 1 dialogue between President Delcy Rodríguez and opposition leader Dinorah Figuera was postponed. On 5 August they set up a symbolic table with names and photos of prisoners, chanting “Libertad es humanidad,” while a separate vigil near the U.S. embassy was held by relatives of more than 70 people arrested in the April 2022 Operation Trueno, denouncing “judicial terrorism” and noting two unexecuted court orders and one detainee kept under a humanitarian measure.

Human‑rights NGOs reported that, as of 3 August 2026, 382 individuals are detained for political reasons – 356 men and 26 women, including 222 civilians, 160 military personnel and 40 foreign nationals. The latest update added four new cases and recorded one release. Groups such as Provea, the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners (Clippve) and Foro Penal called for the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights to monitor prison conditions and urged the government to withdraw its objection to the Rome Statute. A protest is planned for 7 August in front of the Foreign Ministry.

The Venezuelan Prison Observatory reported 49 inmate deaths between April and July, attributing the fatalities to severe neglect of medical care and blaming Penitentiary Service minister Julio García Zerpa.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-05: Venezuela NGOs report 382 political prisoners, demand release

Venezuelan NGOs report 382 political prisoners, detail demographics, call for international monitoring and a protest on 7 August, while prison deaths average one every three days.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelas-political-prisoner-count-rises-to-382-ngo-reports

### 2026-08-05: Venezuelan families of political prisoners stage protests as dialogue talks are postponed

Venezuelan families of political prisoners staged symbolic protests demanding release, citing postponed government‑opposition talks and stalled cases from the 2022 “Operation Trueno” affecting over 70 detainees

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelan-families-of-political-prisoners-stage-protests-as-dialogue-talks-are-postponed

### 2026-07-30: Venezuela's political prisoner count rises to 379, says human‑rights NGO

Foro Penal says Venezuela now holds 379 political prisoners—353 men, 26 women, 219 civilians, 160 military—with 14 new cases added and three recent releases.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelas-political-prisoner-count-rises-to-379-says-humanrights-ngo

### 2026-07-24: Venezuelan families demand mass release of political prisoners

Venezuelan families protest for the release of 372 political prisoners, call for U.S. help, and highlight the plight of Jesús Suárez, a detainee whose family believes he has emigrated.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelan-families-demand-mass-release-of-political-prisoners

### 2026-07-21: Venezuelan families protest for political prisoners' release in Caracas

Venezuelan families protested on Caracas' Francisco Fajardo highway demanding the release of 372 political prisoners, facing clashes with police and chavista colectivos, with incidents captured on video.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelan-families-protest-for-political-prisoners-release-in-caracas

### 2026-07-16: Venezuelan families push for political prisoner release ahead of August dialogue

Venezuelan families protesting outside the U.S. embassy demand the immediate release of over 500 political prisoners before an Aug. 1 dialogue, urging U.S. pressure on officials and citing prison abuse after a

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelan-families-push-for-political-prisoner-release-ahead-of-august-dialogue

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Cite as: Venezuelan families demand political prisoner release. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/venezuelan-families-demand-political-prisoner-release