Exclusive Report on Venezuela’s Political Prisoners for MOC.
The Nicolás Maduro regime continues its policy of systematic repression against opponents, human rights defenders, journalists, and their families, which has been classified as a crime against humanity and political persecution by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission.
According to the most recent report by the NGO Foro Penal, as of October 2025, there were more than 800 political prisoners in the country, an increase of 25 in the last week. Of these, 10% are women and 90% are men; 80% are civilians and 20% are military personnel, including adolescents (aged 14 to 17).
The majority are adult civilians, and at least 97 are foreigners from more than 20 countries, positioning Venezuela as the country with the highest number of political detentions of non-nationals worldwide.
This escalation has intensified since September 2024, following the presidential elections. It presents a revolving door pattern and the same pattern of selective releases, followed by further arbitrary arrests, often without a warrant, by unidentified hooded individuals, accompanied by torture, enforced disappearances, and confiscation of property.
In 2025, at least 200 arrests of opponents and defenders were documented, totaling more than 1,900 since July 2024. In October, a peak of at least 31 arbitrary arrests was recorded, mainly against social leaders and relatives of opponents. This is just a fraction; many families do not report them out of fear.
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