Data shared by @OrlvndoA on X between 7:46 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. UTC on January 8, 2026, indicates approximately 400 political prisoners released in Venezuela in this first round, continuing National Assembly President Jorge RodrÃguez's 5:00 p.m. UTC announcement of immediate releases as a peace gesture. The releases build on earlier confirmations by human rights group Foro Penal and activist Tamara Suju, who listed 14 additional freed prisoners including Juan Pablo Guanipa between 7:16 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. UTC, as verified by multiple X posts from @alfredoromero, @EmaFigueroaC, and others. In a related U.S. development within the same 29-minute window, President Donald Trump stated "I don't need international law," according to a New York Times report shared by @AlertaNews24 on X.
