The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, made an announcement yesterday through social media, announcing the imminent release of “all Colombians” who remain imprisoned for political reasons in Venezuela and raising the possibility of a general amnesty for those who are still behind bars in that country.
The statement was presented by Petro as part of a broader push toward democracy and regional integration, and comes amid a complex political context in Venezuela following changes in power — with the new government led by Delcy Rodriguez — and the reconfiguration of its relations with international players such as the United States.
In his message, the president insisted that the existence of political prisoners in the region is a symptom of authoritarianism and that the full release of Colombians detained in the neighboring country would be a step to “deepen Latin American democracy and its unity.”
Although he did not provide dates, exact figures, or a concrete framework to implement these releases, Petro emphasized that diplomatic coordination is underway to advance toward that goal.
Petro announces release of all Colombians jailed in Venezuela
The Colombian president’s remarks focused on highlighting that the process of releasing Colombians in Venezuela is not an improvised idea, but rather part of a policy that, according to him, has been built over several years. In addition, Petro extended this approach to Nicaragua, a country where political prisoners also exist and with whose government he does not keep good relations.
In this context, the Colombian president recalled that he previously achieved the release of at least 18 compatriots who were detained in Venezuelan prisons, and now proposes that this effort would be expanded to cover all Colombians who remain deprived of their freedom.
“All the releases of Colombians are coming, and we will reach a general amnesty in Venezuela and Nicaragua. It is a step to deepen Latin American democracy and its unity. The existence of political prisoners shows the authoritarianism of rulers who have lost popular support but want to perpetuate themselves in power, perpetual re-elections,” he wrote last night on his personal account on the social network X.
For Petro, these types of measures are necessary tools to overcome deep institutional crises and open spaces for political dialogue. He reiterated that the persistence of political prisoners shows authoritarian tendencies in governments seeking to perpetuate themselves in power, an argument he has used on other occasions to criticize political practices in the region.
Although his announcement was clear in political intent, it lacked details on how the complete release process for Colombians would be carried out. No formal agreements between the two governments have been made public, nor have details on legal or temporal mechanisms.
In a context in which organizations such as Foro Penal have pointed out that there are still hundreds of detentions for political reasons in Venezuela — with figures that vary according to different independent sources — the absence of a timeline or a concrete road map adds uncertainty to the announcement.
Logré anteriormente la liberación de 18 colombianos de las cárceles de Venezuela y pedí amnistía general para los presos políticos en Venezuela y Nicaragua, a Maduro y Ortega, hace años, y en todos los países donde hubieran presos políticos de latinoamérica.
Vienen todas las…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 13, 2026
He denounces the ‘addiction to power’ of this type of government
In his message, Gustavo Petro criticized the “perpetuation in power,” asserting that these attitudes, as has occurred in Venezuela and in Nicaragua — where Daniel Ortega has been at the helm of the Central American country’s presidency for nearly two consecutive decades — amount to an “addiction.”
“I have stated that perpetuation in power is only a reflection of greed and an addiction to greed; it is an addiction to power. What is re-elected are collective political projects if they are necessary at a given moment in a people’s history; other movements will always arise that better interpret the needs of each moment in history,” Petro said.
In addition, and on the domestic front, the president of Colombia again criticized the press, asserting that the media seek to “silence me,” and denouncing that “the oligarchy’s media [spent] three years, day after day, saying that I was going to change an article to open the door to re-election. Lies upon lies. I will only return to power if the people want it,” he concluded.
Petro finally called for the social and political reconstruction of Venezuela, now that it appears a process could open that, despite keeping the bulk of Bolivarian leaders at the head of the country, would be steered by the United States from abroad.
“The Venezuelan former presidential candidate Enrique Marquez, whom I supported in his release, is an example of the need for dialogue among all of Venezuela’s social and political forces to achieve a shared government with strong popular support, the sole basis of sovereignty. Without a united people, there is no sovereignty,” he said.
Between diplomacy and external pressure
The Colombian president’s announcement coincides with days of intense political activity in Venezuela, where the process of releasing prisoners has generated both expectations and controversy.
The president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, recently reported the release of hundreds of prisoners, presenting it as a unilateral gesture of peace following episodes of internal tension and external pressure. However, human rights organizations have questioned the official figures, pointing to discrepancies in the data and a lack of transparency.
In addition, the international context influences this scenario. Relations between Caracas and Washington have been marked by confrontations, and political movements in the region have put forward differing positions on how to address the Venezuelan crisis following the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro.
Petro’s stance can be read as a gesture of diplomatic rapprochement with Venezuela and as an attempt to position Colombia in a mediating role in the region.
In recent months, groups of family members have expressed frustration over the slowness of the procedures and the lack of tangible results, calling for more effective action by Colombian authorities. Petro’s announcement, therefore, comes at a time when expectations are high but certainties are few.
Related: After Call, Trump Praises Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez as ‘Terrific’.