STORY: Families of political prisoners gathered on Sunday night (February 1) at Plaza de la Republica in Maracaibo, the capital of Venezuela's oil-rich Zulia state, holding a vigil calling for the release of their detained loved ones. Participants held lit candles and displayed photographs of imprisoned leaders, praying for their freedom while awaiting details of a recently announced amnesty law.

Wilson Labrador, whose brother Eduardo Labrador has been detained for 16 months at the Rodeo 1 detention center, said the amnesty law represents the correct path forward to resolve Venezuela's delicate political situation. The regional legislator has been held without proper legal representation or trial proceedings, according to his brother, who said authorities have provided no information about his case or whereabouts.

Eduardo Labrador serves as a deputy to the Legislative Council of Zulia State. Participants in the vigil emphasized that such activities would continue throughout the region until all political prisoners in the country are freed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: VIGIL FOR PRISONERS RELEASE IN VENEZUELA / SOUNDBITE FROM RESIDENT

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE STORY

SHOWS: MARACAIBO, ZULIA, VENEZUELA (FEBRUARY 1, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CANDLES ON THE FLOOR DURING A VIGIL FOR THE RELEASE PRISONERS

2. PEOPLE WITH CANDLES AND SIGN READING (Spanish) "Juan Pablo Guanipa, political leader, detained by Maduro's regime"

3. LIT CANDLE

4. SIGN READING (Spanish) "Freddy Superlano, political leader, unfairly detained"

5. LIT CANDLE

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BROTHER OF PRISONER EDUARDO LABRADOR, WILSON LABRADOR, SAYING:

"The amnesty law seems right to us, for the coexistence of our country, so we can get out of this very delicate political situation we have. We understand that this law, hopefully it will be enacted as soon as possible, because it's necessary for our country's coexistence, and necessary so that those people who are unjustly detained can have those illegal charges dropped. My brother hasn't been able to have a lawyer defend him, he doesn't have a trial, we don't know who has him because they haven't given us information at the courts, the prosecutor's office hasn't been able to inform us about this."

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN A VIGIL PRAYING WITH CANDLES AND SIGNS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

8. PEOPLE LIGHTING CANDLES ON THE FLOOR WITH SIGNS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

9. SIGNS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS ON THE FLOOR DURING A VIGIL