Venezuela releases 36 jailed government opponents

Freed activists include former mayor, opposition adviser and police, while President Maduro denies they are ‘political prisoners’Three dozen opponents of Venezuela’s socialist government have been freed from prison and reunited with their families as part of a wider Christmas prisoner release, a local rights group said. Following condemnation by critics at home and abroad for holding about 270 activists in prison, President Nicolás Maduro’s administration said on S