Behind closed doors, Venezuela’s government and opposition may be close to a deal that frees more prisoners. Dinorah Figuera, the opposition’s chief negotiator, said so in an interview reported on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
She quoted Jorge Rodríguez, who leads the government side and Venezuela’s National Assembly, as saying the sides are “at the doors of an announcement”. No list or date has been published that we could find, and the government has not confirmed anything.
Key Facts
—The talks. Dinorah Figuera, who leads the opposition team in Venezuela’s government talks, says new prisoner releases are close.
—The count. Foro Penal, a Venezuelan rights group, counted 322 political prisoners on 5 October, 140 of them military.
—The gap. We found no published list of names or dates for new releases.
—Power Index. Venezuela ranks 12th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 29.4 points (November 2026 edition).
The opposition’s lead negotiator says freedom for more political prisoners, including soldiers, may be announced soon, while independent figures show hundreds still behind bars.
What Figuera Said
Figuera is the head of the opposition delegation at the negotiating table with the government of acting president Delcy Rodríguez. She also presided over the National Assembly elected in 2015, which opposition parties still regard as the legitimate parliament.
In the interview she said Jorge Rodríguez had told her the talks were “at the doors of an announcement” about “the exit of new political prisoners”. She added: “We want to consolidate that all political prisoners get out.”
She said she also asked Delcy Rodríguez for the prompt release of detained military personnel. Some of those soldiers, she said, have asked to go to Germany or Spain instead of staying in Venezuela, and she raised this with the German ambassador.
The Numbers Behind the Talks
Foro Penal is a network of Venezuelan lawyers that tracks political detentions case by case. It counted 322 political prisoners as of Monday, 5 October 2026, as our report on the Foro Penal count explained.
Of that total, 182 are civilians and 140 are members of the armed forces. Courts have convicted 152 of them, while 170 are held without a conviction.
Why It Matters
The talks are the main channel for the political transition that began after the United States captured Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s former president, in January. Each release is a test of whether the government will deliver on promises made at the negotiating table, as in the earlier US claim of over 1,000 releases.
In our assessment, prisoner releases are one of the signals that US policymakers, oil investors and bondholders watch most closely. Opposition leader María Corina Machado’s visit to families at a prison shows how closely relatives follow each announcement.
What Happens Next
The first thing to watch is whether the government publishes a list of names and dates. The second is whether the next Foro Penal count falls below 322.
A longer-term test is whether the talks produce a date for a presidential election, a question we covered in Rodríguez’s election promise. Until then, every statement should be read as a signal, not a decision.
What Is Not Known
Nobody has said how many prisoners would be freed, or when. It is also unclear whether the military detainees who want to leave for Germany or Spain would be allowed to go.
We could not reach an official government statement on the talks or on Figuera’s account of them. That makes any official release figure hard to compare with the independent one.
What It Means for You
If you follow Venezuelan oil or debt from the United States, a confirmed release list would be an early sign that the talks are moving. Without one, treat Figuera’s words as a signal, not a decision.
Families with relatives in Venezuelan custody should rely on Foro Penal’s case-by-case updates rather than on announcements alone. The group publishes its count on its own website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dinorah Figuera?
She heads the opposition delegation in Venezuela‘s negotiations with the government. She presided over the National Assembly elected in 2015, which the opposition still treats as the legitimate parliament.
How many political prisoners does Venezuela have?
Foro Penal counted 322 as of 5 October 2026. Of these, 182 are civilians and 140 are military personnel.
Has the government confirmed new releases?
Not yet, as far as we could find on 8 November. Figuera says Jorge Rodríguez told her an announcement was close.
Sources
Foro Penal political prisoner count (5 October 2026); Dinorah Figuera interview, reported on 8 November 2026. Read on 8 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
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