President Pedro Sánchez met with families of three Spanish political prisoners detained in Venezuela, sparking hope for their release but indignation among other Spanish-Venezuelans over selective attention. The Spanish ambassador visited Rodeo 1 prison, focusing on two Basque tourists and a Canarian sailor. Meanwhile, Nicolás Maduro's regime released dozens of prisoners for Christmas, though reports of threats in jails continue.
Indignation and hope mix among Spanish prisoners of Maduro
The Tuesday meeting at the Moncloa Palace between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the families of Andrés Martínez Adasme, José María Basoa, and Miguel Moreno Dapena has stirred a blend of emotions. These three Spaniards, held as political prisoners by Nicolás Maduro's regime, are the focus of Madrid's diplomatic efforts for their release.
Spanish ambassador Álvaro Albacete visited Rodeo 1 prison, under the Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (Dgcim) near Caracas, on Saturday, where seven of the 20 detained Spaniards are held. However, the visit centered on the two Basques and the Canarian sailor, sidelining other Spanish-Venezuelans and causing distress among their families.
Martínez Adasme and Basoa, arrested in August 2024 in the Amazonas, face baseless charges of being agents sent to assassinate Maduro. Sailor Moreno Dapena, a journalist and crew member of the N35 vessel seized in the Esequibo, is accused of espionage, though the ship was searching for World War II shipwrecks.
"When I return to Madrid, I'm going to Puerta del Sol and tear up my Spanish passport," one Spanish-Venezuelan prisoner complained to a relative, furious over minimal consular attention. Another family member criticized Consul Ramón Molina for sending only an email in months. Prisoners receive about 100 euros monthly in consular aid and are held in Rodeo 1 or Helicoide.
Orlando Moreno, from Vente Venezuela's Human Rights Committee, reported threats of extrajudicial execution in Rodeo 1, calling it a crime against humanity. María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia demanded sanctions on those responsible.
The regime released 52 political prisoners per Foro Penal, or 63 per Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, granting house arrest with restrictions. Amnesty International called for the release of Spanish-Venezuelan Rocío San Miguel, detained in Helicoide for nearly two years on treason charges.
