José Gregorio Hernández Polo, a 59-year-old lawyer and political prisoner from Maracaibo in Zulia state, died early Tuesday morning at the Zone 7 detention center in Caracas, relatives stationed outside the facility reported between 12:16 p.m. and 3:16 p.m. UTC on January 20, 2026. Relatives received a telephone call from Hernández Polo's family instructing them to remove his body, according to reports on X from users including @OrlvndoA and @UKR_token. The death occurred amid reports of deteriorating conditions for detainees despite announcements from the Venezuelan regime, now led by Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez, promising releases. Approximately 160 political prisoners have been released following the regime's announcements, the sources stated. Relatives described the detainees as being in the worst conditions during this three-hour reporting window. The reports emerged from relatives gathered outside the Zone 7 facility, with confirmation of Hernández Polo's origin in Maracaibo, Zulia state.
