Former Cuban boxing world champion Yordenis Ugás has openly criticized President Donald Trump's administration. He questioned why, even after the U.S. operation that led to Nicolás Maduro's capture and the recent oil agreement with Venezuela, political prisoners remain detained in the South American country.
In a message posted on X this Sunday, Ugás contrasted the actions Washington has successfully carried out in Venezuela with the ongoing detention of political prisoners.
The boxer highlighted three specific events: the U.S. forces' entry into Venezuela, Maduro's capture, and the recent oil deal announced by Trump.
Based on this comparison, he questioned why the release of all political prisoners has not been achieved.
This criticism is particularly noteworthy given that Ugás, who once held the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title, frequently uses his social media platforms to comment on political issues related to Cuba and other countries in the region.
The first event Ugás mentioned occurred on January 3rd. At that time, Trump confirmed that U.S. forces had captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a military operation in Venezuela, and had transported them out of the country.
Maduro was subsequently taken to New York to face federal charges.
Eight months later, Venezuela and the United States made headlines again. On August 28th, Trump announced what he described as "the largest oil deal in world history."
The agreement involves 17 oil fields with proven reserves of 65 billion barrels, granting the United States 55% of the effective production, according to the details released so far.
The deal was negotiated with the interim administration led by Delcy Rodríguez and has sparked both support and strong criticism within and outside of Venezuela.
The issue of political prisoners has remained unresolved since Maduro's capture.
In January, Rodríguez initiated a process of releasing prisoners and later announced an amnesty. By the end of that month, the U.S. confirmed the release of all known American citizens detained in Venezuela.
Releases continued in the following months. In May, Venezuelan authorities announced the release of another 300 individuals, although human rights organizations questioned the transparency and actual scope of the process.
However, the release has not been comprehensive. The most recent report published by the Foro Penal organization noted 391 political prisoners in Venezuela as of August 10th, consisting of 228 civilians and 163 military personnel.
Of those, 158 had been convicted, while 233 remained without a sentence.
On August 25th, Delcy Rodríguez declared that 1,046 Venezuelans had been released since January under the so-called Democratic Coexistence and Peace Program.
This number corresponds to the interim government's tally and does not imply that all political prisoners documented by independent organizations have been freed.
Yordenis Ugás' Criticism of U.S. Policy in Venezuela
What prompted Yordenis Ugás to criticize Trump's administration?
Yordenis Ugás criticized Trump's administration for its actions in Venezuela, questioning why political prisoners remain detained despite the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the recent U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement.
What was the significant oil deal announced in August?
In August, Trump announced a major oil deal involving 17 oil fields with proven reserves of 65 billion barrels, granting the United States 55% of the effective production.
How many political prisoners remain in Venezuela according to the latest report?
The most recent report from Foro Penal indicated that 391 political prisoners remained in Venezuela as of August 10th, including 228 civilians and 163 military personnel.