Venezuela has begun releasing several American citizens detained in the country, a US State Department official said. The official did not reveal the exact number or names but called it "an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities." This is the first known release since a US military raid in Caracas on January 3, when Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized over drug trafficking charges. According to the UN, Venezuela has freed about 50 prisoners so far. Human rights groups estimate there are around 800 political prisoners in the country. The Venezuelan government, led by Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, announced plans last week to release "a significant" number of political prisoners as a "goodwill gesture." Some opposition leaders and at least five Spanish citizens have already been released. Former President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend that prisoner releases in Venezuela had started "in a BIG WAY." He said he canceled a second wave of airstrikes on Venezuela once Caracas began cooperating on the release process. These events are seen as the first test of Trump’s influence in Venezuela after Maduro’s removal. However, not all believe the release signals full change. Ramón Guanipa, whose politician father remains imprisoned, told the BBC, "Trump should not be fooled" until all political prisoners are freed. Human rights groups accuse the Venezuelan government of detaining its critics to silence opposition. Officials deny holding political prisoners, saying those arrested were involved in criminal activities. Many of these arrests followed disputed results in the 2024 presidential election, which Maduro says he won.