Caracas, Nov 13 (EFE).- A group of relatives of detainees in a prison located in northern Venezuela held a vigil near the penitentiary center, which ended this Wednesday, to demand the freedom of those considered political prisoners and that -they maintain- can enjoy Christmas with their loved ones.
Through publications in relatives’ walk around the penitentiary center.
The protesters released white balloons, with the names of the detainees and “messages of freedom”, outside the San Francisco de Yare Prison, located in the state of Miranda, and also lit dozens of white candles with which they formed on the floor the word “justice.”
According to the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, there are more than 300 detainees in that penitentiary center in the context of the post-electoral crisis, after the protests registered in rejection of the official result of the presidential elections of July 28, in which The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed President Nicolás Maduro as the winner.
The largest opposition coalition in Venezuela – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – joined the petition of the relatives to demand the freedom of all “Venezuelans who are behind bars for dissenting from the regime of Nicolás Maduro, before and after 28 of July.
“May this Christmas be without political prisoners and may freedom be the beginning of the peaceful change that we Venezuelans decisively chose,” said the PUD in X.
According to the NGO Foro Penal, there are 1,963 “political prisoners” in Venezuela, of which 1,836 were detained after the presidential elections, in which the PUD claims that its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won by a wide margin.
Of the total, 69 are minors and are between 14 and 17 years old, according to the organization, which claims to register “the largest number of prisoners for political purposes known in Venezuela, at least in the 21st century.”
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What strategies are families of Venezuelan political prisoners employing to bring attention to their loved ones’ cases and advocate for their release?
## Interview with a Venezuelan Human Rights Advocate
**Host:** Today, we’re talking about the ongoing situation faced by political prisoners in Venezuela as we approach the holiday season. Joining us is Alex Reed, a Venezuelan human rights advocate who has been closely following this issue.
Welcome to the show, Alex Reed.
**Alex Reed:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** As we understand, families of detainees considered to be political prisoners recently held a vigil demanding their release. Can you tell us a bit more about this protest and the demands of the families?
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely. On November 13th in Caracas, family members of those imprisoned at a northern penitentiary held a vigil in front of the prison [[1](https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/venezuelas-record-political-prisoners-await-the-unknown/)].
They are demanding the release of their loved ones, whom they believe are being unjustly held as political prisoners. They want them to be home for Christmas and argue that these individuals should not be spending the holidays behind bars.
**Host:** This comes as international reports suggest an increase in the number of political prisoners in Venezuela under President Maduro’s rule. Can you speak to this trend and its significance?
**Alex Reed:** Yes, the situation regarding political prisoners in Venezuela is deeply concerning. As reported by Americas Quarterly [[1](https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/venezuelas-record-political-prisoners-await-the-unknown/)], the Maduro regime has imprisoned a record number of dissidents. This pattern demonstrates a worrying trend towards silencing opposition voices and cracking down on dissent.
**Host:** What are the next steps for the families of these detainees? What are their hopes and concerns moving forward?
**Alex Reed:** These families are determined to keep raising awareness about their loved ones’ situation. They plan to continue applying pressure on the government through protests and advocacy efforts. Their hope is to see their relatives released and reunited with their families for the holidays, but they are deeply worried about their well-being under these difficult conditions.
**Host:** Thank you for sharing your insights on this important issue, Alex Reed. We hope that these families’ demands for justice and reunion will be heard.
