Venezuelan authorities released political prisoners Enrique Márquez and Biagio Pilieri from El Helicoide prison in Caracas moments ago, as other detainees departed the facility, according to X posts by @agusantonetti and @alfredoromero shared between 1:46 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. UTC on January 9, 2026. A commission from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence toured Avenida Victoria at the entrance to El Helicoide at 9:10 p.m. local time on January 8, per video footage posted by @EfectoCocuyo on X during the 29-minute reporting window ending at 2:15 a.m. UTC. These releases continue National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez's January 8 announcement of freeing political prisoners as a peace gesture, with approximately 400 released by 8:15 p.m. UTC that day, according to @OrlvndoA on X and Foro Penal confirmation reported in prior updates.
