US urges Venezuela to release remaining political prisoners
According to the BBC, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Venezuelan counterpart, Oliver Blanco, on Monday to urge the release of the 322 remaining political prisoners in the country. This follows the release of over 1,000 prisoners since US forces seized Nicolás Maduro in January 2025. The US State Department stated that the talks focused on reforms necessary for free and credible elections. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been pushing for elections to be held in 2027, while the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez has promised a renewed electoral authority without providing a specific timeline.