VENEZUELA · POLITICS
A leading Venezuelan opposition figure has condemned police restrictions on visits to the home of lawyer Perkins Rocha, who is under house arrest, and warned that they harm the mood of talks with the Venezuelan government. Dinorah Figuera, president of the National Assembly elected in 2015, spoke on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
Figuera said she received messages and videos showing an “irregular situation” at the Rocha family home in Caracas, where she said police had restricted access. She posted her statement on X after landing from Madrid and then went to the house to speak with Rocha and his wife.
Key Facts
—Who. Dinorah Figuera, opposition leader, and lawyer Perkins Rocha, under house arrest in Caracas.
—What. Figuera condemned police restrictions on visits to Rocha’s home on 11 November.
—Why it matters. She says the curbs undercut government-opposition talks and announced prisoner releases.
—Status. Rocha has served house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor since February 2026.
—Open. We have found no response from Venezuelan authorities to Figuera’s claim.
—Prediction markets. Polymarket, a prediction market, gives 7.5% to an election date being set by 31 December 2026 (11 November, 9:27 p.m. ET).
—Power Index. Venezuela ranks 12th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 29.4 points (November 2026 edition).
As of 12 November 2026, 02:30 GMT.
What Figuera Said
Figuera wrote that the episode came amid the announcement that political prisoners are to be freed and on the eve of the fourth round of talks between the government and the opposition. She called it a disservice to what Venezuelans want, which she named as reunion and freedom.
After leaving the house she said she would watch that “these intimidating tactics” do not continue against Rocha, his family, his lawyers and his visitors. She demanded respect and freedom for him and for all political prisoners.
Who Is Perkins Rocha
Rocha is a constitutional lawyer and the legal coordinator of Vente Venezuela. He left the El Helicoide prison complex in Caracas in February 2026 after about 17 months in custody and now wears an electronic ankle monitor at home.
In July 2026 a court declined to review the measure, so he stays under house arrest. His family has said that police keep watch at the door.
Why the Timing Matters
Figuera tied the incident to prisoner releases that were announced and to the coming round of dialogue. We covered that signal in Venezuela Signals New Prisoner Releases, and Figuera’s own election pledge in Venezuela Opposition Lead Pledges Fair Vote.
A visit ban on a high-profile detainee is a test of whether promised releases come with real freedom of movement. No official has yet said whether the restrictions at Rocha’s home were new or have been lifted.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a real-money prediction market, traders put 7.5% on Venezuela scheduling its next presidential election by 31 December 2026, in a contract with US$171,082 traded. A contract for 31 March 2027 stands at 30.0% but is thinly traded at US$7,561, while the whole event, including expired contracts, has US$677,692 traded (read 11 November, 9:27 p.m. ET).
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
For US readers following Venezuela, from oil investors to Venezuelans living in the United States, the talks are the main route to a vote date and to prisoner releases. Incidents like this one show how fragile that process is.
If the restrictions persist, the opposition may question whether it should keep taking part in the dialogue. If they are lifted quickly, the episode will probably fade.
What Is Not Known
We have not seen a statement from the Venezuelan government or the police on the restrictions at Rocha’s home. We cannot independently confirm what the videos Figuera received show.
The date and agenda of the fourth round of talks have not been confirmed by us. Whether the announced prisoner releases will include Rocha is also open.
Related reading: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s timetable for a new Venezuelan Supreme Court. Our Venezuela hub tracks the talks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Dinorah Figuera say about Perkins Rocha?
She condemned police restrictions on visits to Rocha’s home in Caracas, where he is under house arrest. She said they undercut the talks with the government.
Who is Perkins Rocha?
He is a constitutional lawyer and legal coordinator of the opposition party Vente Venezuela. He has been under house arrest with an ankle monitor since February 2026.
Who is Dinorah Figuera?
She is president of the National Assembly elected in 2015, the opposition-held legislature. She spoke on 11 November 2026 after arriving from Madrid.
Has the government responded?
We have found no response from Venezuelan authorities to her statement. We will not report one until we can confirm it.
Sources
Dinorah Figuera’s statements on X, 11 November 2026; Perkins Rocha’s family statements as relayed by Figuera; court and detention background from Rocha’s family and lawyers, as reported in February and July 2026; Polymarket market “Venezuela presidential election scheduled by…?”, polymarket.com, read 11 November 2026, 9:27 p.m. ET.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
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