Nicolás Maduro, during an appearance on television this week. Miraflores Press (EFE/Miraflores Press)
After months of paralysis, something is starting to move in Venezuela. A few hours after the US announced the lifting of some sanctions against Venezuelan gas and oil, Nicolás Maduro sent a first signal of openness. Five political prisoners were released early Thursday morning, including Venezuelan journalist Roland Carreño. These are the first publications following the agreements signed by Chavismo and the opposition this Tuesday in Barbados. The opposition estimates that there are almost 300 political prisoners in the country who are expected to regain their freedom in the coming months.
Carreño, who was part of Juan Guaidó’s team during the interim government, was imprisoned in El Helicoide prison in Caracas for almost three years and charged with terrorism and weapons possession. The rest of those released were Juan Requesens, Marco Garcés, Eurinel Ricón and Mariana Barreto, as announced on the social network Blyde was the first to greet Carreño this evening after his release from prison, where the journalist confessed that he felt “very happy”.
This first gesture from Maduro is a response to the recent turn in the Venezuelan playbook, which has seen the resumption of dialogue with the opposition and the establishment of an electoral calendar that must culminate with in-person elections in the second half of 2024. Washington responded This Wednesday, negotiations are expected to move forward with the announcement of the lifting of sanctions – one of Maduro’s demands to open his hand. The measure has immediate effect, but in the case of oil and gas it is temporary for up to six months and will only be extended if Chavismo continues to take steps to restore democracy.
Washington’s demands include the release of Americans and Venezuelan political prisoners imprisoned in Venezuela. “For us, it is a sine qua non of this agreement, and we have clearly expressed our expectation that this will be an integral part of the implementation of this process,” said a senior US official, who also announced this before the end of November There should be significant progress in this regard. The Caracas government seems to have gotten the message.
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