D. Republic: Release of 80 Detainees Will Boost Dialogue in Venezuela

The Dominican Republic's Foreign Minister, Miguel Vargas, praised on Saturday the initiative to release 80 detainees involved in violence between 2014 and 2017 in Venezuela, which will promote dialogue between the Government and the opposition.

"It is an impulse for the dialogue that is taking place in the Dominican Republic, the Venezuelan Government and the opposition," the diplomat said after hearing the decision.

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"The commission has developed over the course of four months an investigation process of the accused persons and has interviewed detainees in order to contribute to justice, recognition of the victims and national reconciliation," he reported.

In this regard, Vargas believes that this action demonstrates the willingness of the Venezuelan Government to continue the dialogue "to reach an agreement through a peaceful, democratic and stable solution," he said in a statement.

For his part, the former president of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, indicated that the suggestion of the Commission for Truth strengthens a future agreement of democratic coexistence.

"I would like to express my satisfaction with the decision announced today by the Truth Commission (...), which recommends the evaluation of alternatives to the deprivation of liberty for 80 people detained or sentenced."

The Commission for Truth, Peace and Public Tranquility of the National Constituent Assembly delivered a report Saturday encouraging the release of political prisoners arrested during the series of violent protests earlier this year.

The ANC president, Delcy Rodriguez, recommended prisoners' sentences be amended, trading community work for prison time. She added that citizens have the right to dignity and hopes the situation will be resolved quickly.

"This important step strengthens the expectations of an agreement of democratic coexistence and peace for Venezuela," he said in a statement.

The next meeting between the delegates of the Government and the opposition will be in Santo Domingo (Dominican capital) on January 11 and 12, 2018, and will be accompanied by the host president Danilo Medina, the foreign ministers of Mexico, Chile and Nicaragua, as well as the representatives of Bolivia and of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.