Caracas, Venezuela — A group of relatives of political prisoners had planned to march on September 11 to Miraflores Palace, the presidential headquarters in Caracas, to demand the release of prisoners detained for ideological reasons. 

Instead, they were intercepted on the street by security forces, including the National Guard and the Bolivarian National Police, who blocked the path to the offices of interim President Delcy Rodríguez. 

After speaking with officials, a small delegation from the protest was allowed to proceed to Miraflores, where instead of delivering a message to the president, they delivered a document with their demands to the building’s receptionist. 

Hiowanka Ávila, whose brother Henryberth Rivas Ávila is currently detained at the El Rodeo I prison in the state of Miranda, said that the visit to the presidential palace was a long journey that ended in deception. 

“We had been told that a commission would meet with us, but they spoke to us from behind a glass partition for just a few minutes,” she told Latin America Reports in a neighborhood close to the Miraflores Palace. 

She sees incidents like this as proof that the government isn’t interested in freeing the nearly 350 political prisoners who remain behind bars despite the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro. 

“There is no political will. They refuse to release people with serious health conditions and refuse to provide medical care to those who remain incarcerated. There are people who have died while in state custody,” she said. 

She also alleged that many detainees have not received fair trials and have been victims of human rights abuses. 

For her part, Andreína Baduel, a relative of Josnars Baduel — who is also detained at Rodeo I on charges of conspiracy against the government — said her family feels deceived because they had been told they would be able to speak with an official from the presidential headquarters and instead were greeted by a receptionist. (Latin America Reports was unable to verify whether the government had promised to meet with the families). 

“This reaffirms our commitment and renews our faith in the knowledge that the solution does not lie with those in power, but with the victims themselves,” said Baduel. “We must denounce and make it clear that the only way to bring about political change in the country is through the complete dismantling of a criminal structure that only represses and violates human rights.” 

Baduel explained that despite the heavy military presence in the center of the Venezuelan capital due to the planned protest, the protestors will continue to take to the streets to demand the release of all political prisoners.

“God is on our side, and that is why in the coming days we will announce a new agenda to the country,” she said. 

Like other family members, Baduel argued that the issue of Venezuela’s political prisoners should not be sidelined during talks between the Rodríguez government and the opposition, which entered their second round this week. 

“It is a matter of honor for the country that, if we truly want to set the nation’s destiny on a new course, political prisoners must be released, and the message is clear: we will not grow weary; we will not give up.”

Following the capture of Maduro in an operation led by the United States, the government announced a power transition process that included the release of political prisoners. 

While the government said it has released 1,046 political prisoners since then, civil society groups like Foro Penal report 328 people still detained, while Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón counts 454.

Featured image: Protestors in Caracas on September 11, 2026 demanding the Venezuelan government release political prisoners still in detention.

Image credit: Julio Blanca