A slew of dissidents being released from long-term detention comes days after the nation's interim leader met the US president.

Prisoner releases and free elections were two key pledges made to the US by the new administration

Published2 hours ago

Venezuelan authorities have released a slew of political prisoners, human rights groups say, days after the nation's interim leader met US President Donald Trump in New York

Among those released in the early hours of Saturday morning was Wilder Vasquez, who was handed a five-year sentence in 2018 over claims he was plotting to kill former President Nicolás Maduro

Opposition figures have renewed calls for free elections after interim President Delcy Rodriguez held talks with Trump, who captured Maduro earlier this year, at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday

Her administration previously released hundreds of prisoners as part of a reconciliation effort following Maduro's seizure

However, these releases slowed to a trickle in April after Rodriguez said the scheme was "coming to an end"

Venezuela's government has not made any statement concerning the latest releases, nor has it indicated whether they were the result of her conversation with the US president

Gonzalo Himiob, vice-president of rights group Foro Penal, said "a significant number" of political prisoners had been released on Saturday morning from several of Venezuela's detention centres