Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez said last night that 626 people have been released from prison so far in the ongoing prisoner release process, but did not specify the period in which this happened, Reuters reported.
Venezuelan rights group “Foro Penal“ confirmed the release of 154 political prisoners since January 8.
In a televised statement last night, Rodriguez said he would speak to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Monday to ask the UN to confirm the lists of those released.
Meanwhile, thousands of supporters of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured in a spectacular US military operation on January 3, protested last night demanding his release. The demonstration was held on the anniversary of the fall of the country's military dictatorship in 1958.
A huge banner reading: "We want them back" was unfurled in O'Leary Square in central Caracas.
Although interim President Delcy Rodriguez has been trying to reach out to Washington, the government is still trying to bring back Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, Agence France-Presse reported.
“Our greatest triumph these days will be to bring back President Maduro and Celia - the first lady”, said the influential Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during the protest, in a televised speech.