Release confirmed for Daniel Enrique Echenagucia, political prisoner since 2024

The interim government of Delcy Rodríguez, through its Program for Democratic Coexistence and Peace, announced this Saturday the release of Daniel Enrique Echenagucia Vallenilla, a citizen with dual Italian and Venezuelan nationality, who had been considered a political prisoner for two years. The measure was carried out through the adoption of precautionary measures substituting deprivation of liberty, in accordance with Article 242, numeral 2, of the Organic Code of Criminal Procedure, according to a statement from the government office. Chancellor Oliver Blanco shared the official statement on his X account, which indicates that the Program's recommendation was accepted by the justice bodies and that the release took effect on November 14, 2026. The official text emphasizes that the decision "reaffirms the commitment to dialogue, national reconciliation, and peace." Who is Daniel Enrique Echenagucia Echenagucia, 48 years old, is a businessman and was a national peacock bass fishing champion. A husband and father of two children, he lived in the United States between 2018 and 2022 before returning to Venezuela. His mother, María Milagros Vallenilla, is a U.S. citizen. Human rights organizations and his family consider him a political prisoner. He was detained on August 2, 2024, by Bolivarian National Guard officers at a toll booth in Valencia (Carabobo state), while traveling with his wife and minor children. They were also temporarily detained. Subsequently, Echenagucia was held at the El Rodeo I Judicial Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison. The authorities charged him with serious crimes such as conspiracy, terrorism, and treason, allegedly linked to events in 2019. His family has insisted that in that year he was residing in the United States and that he was not given the complete case file. He remained in pretrial detention for more than two years without a trial being held, according to complaints from Foro Penal. During his imprisonment, his health deteriorated severely: he suffered from chronic asthma, osteoarthritis, hypertension, and other conditions. He lost more than 30 kilos. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted him precautionary measures in June 2026, considering that his life, integrity, and health were at irreparable risk due to detention conditions (a 2×2 meter cell, communication restrictions, and lack of adequate medical care). In January 2026, a release order was issued that was not executed for months, despite efforts by his family, Foro Penal, and Italian authorities. Saturday's release took place with the intervention of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which conducted a medical check-up. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Echenagucia was received at the Consulate General in Caracas and that he will soon leave the country. Italian Chancellor Antonio Tajani described the measure as "a step forward in Venezuela's democratic transition process." This release is part of the process of releasing people detained for political reasons that Delcy Rodríguez's interim government has promoted since January 2026, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, through an amnesty law and the aforementioned Coexistence Program. Although it is a precautionary measure (not necessarily full freedom), it represents a relief for his family after more than 27 months of detention.