Hundreds of opposition members still imprisoned as Venezuela plays nice with Trump

Published January 9, 2026 5:36pm ET



The interim Venezuelan government has offered a token trickle of freedom to opposition prisoners since the capture of former dictator Nicolas Maduro, but hundreds remain imprisoned.

Aracelis Del Carmen Balza Ramirez, a leader of the Vente Venezuela opposition party that was arrested in October, was released from prison on Friday. While supporters cheered her newfound freedom, she is only the ninth imprisoned opposition figure to be let go.

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