Jailed Venezuelan Politician’s Son Warns Trump Not to Be “Fooled” by Prisoner Release Pledge

Relatives of political prisoners keep vigil outside Venezuela’s El Helicoide prison as pressure mounts on the government to honor its pledge to release detainees.

Caracas, Venezuela  The son of a jailed Venezuelan opposition leader has urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to maintain pressure on Venezuela’s interim government, warning that promises to release political prisoners have so far fallen far short.

Ramón Guanipa, whose father Juan Pablo Guanipa has been detained since 2025, said he believes Trump may be unaware that only about 40 of more than 800 political prisoners have reportedly been released despite government pledges.

“I want to tell President Trump that he must not be fooled and keep pressure on these guys,” Guanipa told BBC Mundo. “If he thinks this is going alright, it is not.”

Limited Releases Raise Doubts

The Venezuelan government announced last week that it would release detainees considered political prisoners by human rights groups as a “goodwill gesture.” The announcement came days after U.S. authorities seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and transferred him to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez said an “important number” of detainees would be released immediately. While several high-profile opposition figures were freed including Spanish citizens confirmed by Spain’s foreign ministry families of many detainees say the majority remain behind bars.

Trump praised the releases over the weekend, writing that Venezuela had “started the process, in a BIG WAY,” and claimed U.S. pressure played a decisive role.

A Personal Fight

Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, went into hiding after challenging the results of Venezuela’s disputed 2024 presidential election. He was arrested in May 2025 on accusations of terrorism and treason.

Ramón Guanipa said he has only been allowed to visit his father once since his detention. After hearing about the planned releases, he rushed to Caracas in hopes his father would be among those freed.

“When they tell you they’re going to release your family, everything else becomes small,” he said. “When it didn’t happen, I felt defeated but also more determined to keep fighting.”

Vigil Outside El Helicoide

Outside El Helicoide, Venezuela’s most notorious prison, relatives of detainees continue to keep vigil. The facility, originally designed as a shopping complex, became internationally known as a symbol of political repression under Maduro’s rule.

Families like Carmen Farfán’s remain desperate for information. Her son, José Gregorio Reyes, was detained alongside his wife and a friend in November 2025, and the family has received no updates on their whereabouts.

“We hope they tell us where they are keeping them,” Farfán said. “We are desperate.”

Pressure on Venezuela Continues

Opposition leaders and human rights organizations say the limited number of releases raises serious doubts about the interim government’s willingness to cooperate with the United States or move toward meaningful political reform.

While Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has signaled openness to dialogue with Washington, she has publicly condemned U.S. intervention.

For families of detainees, the message remains clear: promises alone are not enough.

As Ramón Guanipa put it, “This is not over. Pressure must continue until every political prisoner is free.”