Foreign ministry welcomes release of Polish national by Venezuela
Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has expressed satisfaction after the Venezuelan government freed from prison a Polish citizen as part of a larger political prisoner release operation.
"It is with satisfaction that we acknowledge the release of a Polish citizen who had been arbitrarily detained in Venezuela for a year," the MFA said in a statement on Sunday.
The MFA also welcomed what it called the readiness of Venezuela's current authorities to develop relations with the European Union and the United States.
"Poland is ready to share its historical experiences in the area of national reconciliation and to support Venezuelans in achieving a negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution to the crisis," the MFA wrote.
Venezuelan human rights organisations, including Foro Penal, have been advocating the release of political prisoners since the country's strongman, Nicolas Maduro, was captured by American forces on January 3 and transported to the US to stand trial on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.
By Saturday evening, the Venezuelan authorities had released 139 political prisoners. Foro Penal reported earlier that the total number of political prisoners in the country was 800, including the Polish citizen who also holds a Ukrainian passport.
According to Foro Penal, over 18,600 people had been detained for political reasons in Venezuela since Maduro came to power in 2013. (PAP)
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