The Venezuelan government released at least 80 political prisoners on Thursday, including one with ties to the United States, according to human rights organizations. The release of prisoners during the holidays is a common occurrence, but this year it comes amid a broader crackdown on dissent in the country.

The release of these prisoners followed a similar move in late December, bringing to nearly 200 the number of political detainees released in the last month, according to human rights groups.

Among those released on Thursday was Jonathan Torres Duque, a Venezuelan who had been living in the United States before travel back to his country, where he was detained in late 2024.

Torres was legally residing in the United States under Temporary Protected Status designation, which was later canceled by the Donald Trump administration.

Most of the other freed people had been imprisoned for participating in the protests that followed the disputed 2024 presidential election in Venezuela, according to the Committee for Prisoner Freedom Politicos, a Venezuelan human rights organization.

President Nicolás Maduro lost the election decisively, according to various analyzes of election records released by the opposition, but he ignored the results and stifled subsequent protests.

Thousands of people have been imprisoned for protesting against Maduro's declaration of victory or for participating in the opposition's election campaign.

Maduro has intensified repression in recent months amid of escalating tensions with the United States, and has effectively criminalized any opposition to his government. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the release of the prisoners.

Human rights organizations estimate that between 800 and 900 men and women remain imprisoned in Venezuela for political reasons. Human rights groups say most have been charged with crimes including terrorism, hate speech and conspiracy to overthrow the government for exercising basic political rights. Few have been convicted.

Last year, the Trump administration negotiated the release of 17 U.S. citizens and permanent residents held by Venezuela, including through a prisoner swap for Venezuelans detained in El Salvador.

However, as the government has in recent months intensified a pressure campaign against the Maduro government, Venezuelan security forces have detained several other U.S. citizens. Maduro has long used detained Americans as a bargaining chip in talks with Washington.

Venezuela's main opposition alliance, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, has described the recent prisoner releases as a “revolving door” that diverts attention from the more general climate of fear that reigns in the country.

“What the regime shows as 'liberations' seek political and diplomatic detente,” Machado's political organization wrote in a statement after the release of prisoners at the end of December. “In reality, now more than ever, greater pressure is needed on the criminal regime to put an end to the repressive apparatus and the horror to which Venezuelans are subjected.” His family denies the accusations.

Torres said that on Thursday morning he unexpectedly received a call from his son, now 26 years old, asking him to come look for him after being released from prison.

“He's already home,” he said in a phone call from Caracas, noting that he was in good health.

Tibisay Romero collaborated with the report from Valencia, Venezuela.

Anatoly Kurmanaev covers Russia and its transformation after the invasion of Ukraine.

Annie Correal is a Times reporter covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.