Venezuela opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa released

Machado ally says ‘there’s a lot to talk about regarding the present and future of Venezuela’ after release.Published On 8 Feb 2026Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa has been freed from jail, his family said in a statement.Guanipa’s release on Sunday is the latest high-profile liberation by the government in Caracas, which is under pressure from the United States to free political prisoners.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Thousands march in Venezuela to demand US free President Maduro, wifelist 2 of 3Venezuela passes amnesty bill for political prisoners in first of two voteslist 3 of 3Venezuela’s National Assembly leader sets deadline for prisoner releaseend of listRights group Foro Penal says it has verified 383 liberations of political prisoners since the government announced a new series of releases on January 8.“Ten months in hiding and almost nine months detained here,” Guanipa said after being released.“There’s a lot to talk about regarding the present and future of Venezuela, always with the truth front and centre.”Guanipa, a well-known politician in Venezuela and a close ally of Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, was arrested in May 2025 after months in hiding for allegedly leading a “terrorist” plot. His family and political movement have strenuously denied the allegations.Earlier this month, Guanipa’s family said they had also been able to see him in person for the first time in months, and that he was in good physical health.Machado celebrated Guanipa’s release in a statement on X, calling for all political prisoners to be released.Exiled Venezuelan opposition figurehead Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia also demanded “the immediate release” of all political prisoners.“These releases are not synonymous with full and complete freedom,” he posted on X.“As long as legal proceedings remain open and restrictive measures, threats or surveillance remain, the persecution continues,” he added.