Venezuelan politician Guanipa kidnapped after being freed

Venezuelan politician Juan Pablo Guanipa kidnapped after being freed in prisoner release

Venezuelan opposition politicians Jesus Armas and Juan Pablo Guanipa greet relatives of the political prisoners outside the Helicoide detention center after they were both released from detention, as rights group Foro Penal says some political prisoners were freed on Sunday and it is checking more cases, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb 8, 2026. REUTERS

Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Sunday that politician Juan Pablo Guanipa was kidnapped in the Los Chorros neighborhood of Caracas, hours after it was reported he had been freed in a prisoner release.

Guanipa and Freddy Superlano, along with prominent lawyer Perkins Rocha, were freed from jail, their families and human rights organisations said on Sunday, marking the latest high-profile releases by the government in Caracas.

Under mounting pressure from the US to free political prisoners, rights group Foro Penal said some 35 political prisoners were released on Sunday and that it was verifying additional cases.

The organization previously confirmed that 383 political prisoners had been let go since the Venezuelan government announced on Jan 8 that it would begin a new series of releases.