CARACAS, April 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Venezuela freed 46 political prisoners on Thursday, detainees' families told AFP, the latest releases after the fall of autocratic leader Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela has released hundreds of political prisoners since US forces captured Maduro in a stunning raid on the capital Caracas on January 3.

A landmark amnesty law, which was adopted in February, is one of the most significant reforms passed by Maduro's successor Delcy Rodriguez, under pressure from Washington.

But some 500 political prisoners remain behind bars.

Around 50 families gathered outside Yare prison south of Caracas on Thursday evening as prisoners emerged intermittently.

Most of those freed were among 173 workers from the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA who were arrested last year, accused of crimes such as smuggling, sabotage and corruption.

"We're waiting for many PDVSA workers to be released. My brother is one of them," said Gilda Suarez, whose brother Rene Suarez has been detailed for nine months.

"We haven't been told yet if he'll be released, but we trust in God that he will and that they'll be released tonight."

One of the freed prisoners told AFP he had been released on parole.

"All of this is moving far too slowly," he told AFP on the condition of anonymity. "It's moving along like a turtle, slowly."

"I work in the oil industry. More than 30 years' service. We never stole anything whatsoever. The whole thing was a set-up."