After being arrested on Jan. 10, 2025 in the home of her cousin, Zuleika Meneses, Miriam Gomez was released by the Venezuelan government on Dec. 25, 2025.
Miriam Gomez was charged with terrorism, conspiracy, forging public documents and usurpation of functions. While she waited almost a year to be released, her mother, Alaina Rangel Gómez, was arrested and released within the same day.
Miriam Gomez’s release was part of an overarching plan by the Venezuelan government to free political prisoners. However, the timing of the release posed challenges for the prisoners’ families, who had limited transportation and resources on Christmas Day.
“They picked December 25, a day with limited transportation, making it tough for families to get around,” said Zuleika Meneses, Miriam Gomez’s cousin. “Some relatives had to scramble for resources, even take out loans, just to fetch their loved ones. In some cases, authorities took people to their homes to verify addresses, basically keeping tabs on them.”
As of now, 143 political prisoners have been released, and over 800 remain detained.
