Around 2,000 protesters were jailed following the disputed July vote, in which Maduro declared himself the winner.
Venezuela declared 177 more election protesters jailed were released among the more than 2,000 people arrested during the clashes after the controversial July 28 vote.
Monday’s announcement by Attorney General Tarek Saab would bring the total number of protesters released to 910, according to the Reuters news agency.
However, rights groups said they were unable to verify everyone who had regained their freedom.
The groups say at least three protesters have died in custody since demonstrations swept the country after the national electoral council. declared President Nicolas Maduro victorious, without producing an official report.
Pre-election polls had shown Maduro far behind the opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez by a seemingly insurmountable margin before the election, and Maduro’s government has consistently refused calls from the opposition and regional leaders to release data proving his victory.
Nevertheless, the Venezuelan Supreme Court later upheld the victory. Opposition figures argued that the electoral board and court were dominated by Maduro loyalists.
As Venezuelans took to the streets to demand election data, at least 28 people were killed and nearly 200 injured in clashes with security forces, and hundreds more were arrested.
In early December, Venezuelan rights group Foro Penal said there were 1,877 political prisoners.
In announcing the release of 103 election protesters on December 12, the Citizen Security Service said Maduro had asked the government to re-examine “all cases concerning acts of violence and crimes committed in the context of the election.”
Before that, the attorney general’s office said “precautionary measures” were granted on November 26, allowing the release of about 225 prisoners but requiring them to appear in court every 30 days.
Last week, Venezuela’s attorney general said another 533 election protesters had been released.
CCI probe
The moves come months after International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan said he was “actively monitoring” the post-election crackdown.
The ICC has an open probe in the country due to violence following the controversial Constituent Assembly elections called by Maduro in 2017.
The releases also come just weeks before Maduro is sworn in again for a third term on January 10. US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to take office 10 days later, which could lead to a change in policy towards Venezuela.
Trump increased sanctions during his first term but faced pressure to act more cautiously, fearing a redux could push Caracas toward China.
For its part, the administration of US President Joe Biden has eased some sanctions, with Maduro pledging to hold free and fair elections, but put them back in place as the Venezuelan leader further suppressed opposition in the run-up to the vote.
Since then, many opposition figures have fled the country.
Yet while several U.S. citizens remain detained in Venezuela, it is unclear whether the latest releases were aimed at building goodwill with the new U.S. administration.
