Release comes after a release process announced by the President of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by the US
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa, close to María Corina Machado and one of the two biggest critics of Chavismo, was released this Sunday (8) after more than eight months in prison, said his son, Ramón Guanipa.
“I announce that my father, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was released a few minutes ago. After more than eight months in prison unfair and more than a year and a half apart, our whole family will be able to hug again soon”, said Ramón Guanipa on the social network X.
He then published a video in which his father confirmed his release.
“Today we are leaving free. There is a lot to talk about the present and future of Venezuela. Always with the truth at the forefront”, said Juan Pablo Guanipa.
In turn, Machado celebrated the release of the former deputy from the opposition party Primeiro Justiça, whom he called a “hero”.
“My dear Juan Pablo, counting the minutes to hug you! is a hero and history will recognize this forever. Freedom for all political prisoners!”, he published on his X account.
This release occurs in the context of a release processs announced by the President of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, a month ago, after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States.
At least 391 political prisoners were released in Venezuela since January 8, according to a count published yesterday by the largest opposition coalition, while the NGO Foro Penal counts 383.
The government ensures that the release process began in December 2025 and, since then, around 895 people have been released with precautionary measures, although it has not published lists that allow checking the cases.
Guanipa remained in hiding when he was arrested, on May 23, 2025, in a police operation to dismantle an alleged plan aimed at “boycott” regional and legislative elections that month and carrying out alleged “terrorist acts”, which is why more than 70 people were also detained, including foreigners, according to the government.
The last time Guanipa had appeared in public on January 9, 2025, when he accompanied María Corina Machado in a protest in Caracas in defense of Edmundo González Urrutia’s claimed victory in the 2024 presidential elections, in which the National Electoral Council (CNE), controlled by officials aligned with Chavismo, proclaimed Maduro the winner, which the majority opposition denounced as a “fraud”.
*With EFE
