Embattled Venezuela orders second mass prisoner release

At least 87 people detained during protests sparked by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's 2024 election victory claim were released on Thursday after a year-and-a-half behind bars, rights groups said.

"On the morning of January 1, mothers and relatives reported new releases of political prisoners from Tocoron prison in Aragua state" in northern Venezuela, the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners wrote on social media.

The Committee of Mothers in Defense of the Truth also confirmed the releases.

Both groups said 87 prisoners were freed.

This is the second such gesture in a week by the embattled Maduro administration, which is in US President Donald Trump's crosshairs.

On December 25, Christmas Day, the government announced the release of 99 prisoners in what it called "a concrete expression of the State's commitment to peace, dialogue and justice."

Foro Penal, a leading Venezuelan rights NGO, said however it was only able to verify the release of 61 prisoners in that case.

Maduro's widely disputed claim to have won a third six-year term in 2024, despite the opposition publishing results apparently showing a convincing victory for their candidate, sparked mass protests.