Venezuela Is Freeing Political Prisoners. Next Week's Talks Must Move Toward an Election Date
Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave Venezuela's democratic negotiators "100 percent support" on Friday, days before a third round of talks opens in Caracas on Oct. 14. In our view, the results so far are real, and the next step is a credible path to free elections.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 10, 2026 | 6-min read For a quarter century, Venezuela was a byword for dictatorship, political prisoners and economic collapse. On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed Dinorah Figuera, president of Venezuela's 2015 National Assembly, to the State Department and declared that the reconciliation process she is leading "has 100 percent support, the strongest possible support from the highest levels of our government" [2]. A third round of talks between Figuera's delegation and Venezuela's interim authorities begins Oct. 14 in Caracas [1][3]. In our view, the progress so far is real, and the next round should focus on the prize: a credible path to free and fair elections. Key Takeaways The State Department says Venezuela's interim government has released more than 1,000 political prisoners since January and announced the release of 177 more since the talks began in August [3]. Access to more than 70 previously blocked internet domains has been restored, and a commission is reforming the 2017 Law Against Hatred [3]. The human rights group Foro Penal says at least 300 people