She harangued them for violence and subversion, but also wished them a happy Christmas. Alfredo Romero, whose Penal Forum group tracks the detention of activists and protesters, said 36 "political prisoners" had been freed by Sunday morning. U.S. lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a fierce critic of both Venezuela and Cuba's Communist government, called the pre-Christmas releases in Venezuela a hypocritical gesture. "Maduro in Venezuela cynically 'releases' 80 political prisoners who were actually innocent, parades and humiliates several on state TV ... and expects thanks for Christmas 'mercy'," tweeted the Republican U.S. representative from Florida. Venezuela's best-known detained politician is Leopoldo Lopez, who remains under house arrest in Caracas, accused of spearheading violence in 2014.

Source: New Strait Times December 25, 2017 04:41 UTC