Venezuela frees more than 100 arrested after disputed election result
Venezuelan authorities have freed over 100 individuals who were detained following the controversial presidential election in July, according to a local human rights organization.
“To date, we have confirmed the release of 107 political prisoners linked to the post-election crisis in Venezuela,” stated Alfredo Romero from the NGO Foro Penal.
The organization also reported that over 1,800 people were arrested for participating in mass protests after the election.
Electoral authorities aligned with President Nicolás Maduro declared him the winner, though this result has been broadly dismissed by the international community.
After Maduro claimed victory, anti-government protests erupted.
Hundreds have been charged with crimes including terrorism, incitement to hatred and resistance to authority, according to Human Rights Watch.
Foro Penal said prisoners had been released at four different prisons. Videos published on social media showed prisoners being released to cheers from onlookers.
Maduro is set to begin his third six-year term in January. Official results for July’s election published by the National Electoral Council (CNE) claimed Maduro, 61, won 52% of the vote to opposition candidate Edmundo González’s 43%.
The opposition, however, said it had evidence González had won by a comfortable margin, and uploaded detailed voting tallies to the internet which suggest González beat Maduro convincingly.
The CNE said it could not publish the voting records because the data had been corrupted by hackers.
González was granted political asylum in Spain in September.
