Families of Venezuelans detained for political activism demand their release outside infamous prison

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Dozens of relatives and friends of Venezuelan opposition leaders, human rights defenders and others detained for their political activities protested Saturday outside a notorious prison in the capital to demand the immediate release of their loved ones.

The demonstration outside Helicoide prison in Caracas comes during mounting pressure on the government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez to release all people whose detentions months or years ago have been linked by their families and nongovernmental organizations to their political beliefs. Her government last month announced it would free a significant number of prisoners, but families and human rights watchdogs have criticized authorities for the slow pace of the releases.

Rodríguez last month also promised to close Helicoide, where torture and other forms of physical and psychological abuse of prisoners have been extensively documented. She said the facility, which was initially built to be a mall, would be turned into a cultural, social and sports center for police forces and adjacent neighborhoods.

Those gathered Saturday outside the facility included political activists released from prison over the past month. They joined families and friends in prayer before marching about two blocks to reach the doors of Helicoide, where they sang Venezuela’s national anthem and chanted “Freedom! Freedom!”

“We, as family members, and I personally on behalf of my husband, Freddy Superlano, feel this is a mockery, a lack of respect,” Aurora Silva, whose husband is a former lawmaker for the opposition, said. She was referring to the pace of releases since they were announced on Jan. 8 by Rodríguez’s brother and National Assembly leader, Jorge Rodríguez. “Releases have been carried out piecemeal, and I believe that’s only prolonging the suffering of all the families outside the detention centers.”

Silva’s husband is being held at a facility outside Caracas.

The ruling party-controlled National Assembly this week began debating an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of hundreds of prisoners. Such an amnesty is a central demand of the country’s opposition and human rights activists, who have so far reacted only with cautious optimism and with demands for more information on the contents of the proposal.

Jorge Rodríguez on Friday posted a video on Instagram showing him outside a detention center in Caracas and saying that “everyone” would be released no later than next week, once the amnesty bill is approved.

“Between next Tuesday and Friday at the latest, they’ll all be free,” he said from the location where the loved ones of detainees have spent weeks waiting for their release.

Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president after the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military, has expressed hope that the law will help “heal the wounds left by the political confrontation” since the rise to power of the late Hugo Chávez, the self-proclaimed socialist leader who governed Venezuela from 1999 to 2013.

People attend a prayer for freedom of political prisoners, peace and reconciliation, near the Helicoide detention center in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

People protest near the Helicoide detention center after the crowd attended a prayer for freedom of political prisoners, peace and reconciliation in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Police standby to keep people from advancing closer to the Helicoide detention center after the crowd attended a prayer for freedom of political prisoners, peace and reconciliation in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

People attend a prayer for freedom of political prisoners, peace and reconciliation, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

University students rally to demand the release of political prisoners in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama was thrilled to play with fellow Japanese player Ryo Hisatsune in the final pairing at the Phoenix Open and hoped they could do it again.

Hisatsune’s bogey on 18 put an end to that.

Matsuyama may have bigger things to worry about with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler lurking.

Matsuyama shot a 3-under 68 despite some missed opportunities down the stretch to take a one-shot lead Saturday.

“Kind of a first today for Japan to have two Japanese pros play in a final group,” Matsuyama said through a translator. “I was hoping we could do it tomorrow, but, again, I hope tomorrow just to play well and stay on top.”

He’ll need to after Scheffler worked his way up the leaderboard at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course for the second straight day.

In danger of missing his first cut since 2022 with a shaky first round, Scheffler backed up a second-round 65 with a 67 on Saturday to pull within five shots.

He’s been in this position before, rallying from nine shots down to win the 2022 Phoenix Open for his first PGA Tour victory.

“Going to need a special round,” he said. “I’ll be starting on the front nine tomorrow, so if I can get out there and make a few birdies on the harder nine and get some momentum going into the back, you never know what can happen.”

Catching Matsuyama could be tough.

The Japanese star failed to get up-and-down from near the green on the short par-4 17th and left a 15-foot birdie putt on the lip at 18, but still finished at 13-under 200.

The two-time Phoenix Open champion was tied with Hisatsune after 17 holes, but took the outright lead into the final round after his countryman failed to get up-and-down from the greenside bunker for a bogey on 18. Hisatsune shot 70 to finish at 12 under.

Nicolai Hojgaard had five birdies his final six holes to shoot a bogey-free 65. Maverick McNealy had a stretch of four birdies in five holes on the back nine to shoot 65. Si Woo Kim had an eagle on the par-5 third hole to shoot 66 and join them at 12 under.

“There is a lot of guys there at the top that will be battling, so I just need to play well,” Matsuyama said.

Hisatsune shot 63 in the second round to surge ahead of Matsuyama by a shot, setting up a third-round “dream” final pairing with the player who inspired so many young Japanese players.

Neither could get much going on the front nine.

Matsuyama had birdies on three of his first four holes, including a 27-footer over a swale on the par-3 fourth. He also bogeyed Nos. 2 and 5 when he couldn’t get up-and-down, making the turn at 1 under 34.

Hisatsune couldn’t gain much traction, either, turning in even par with two birdies and two pars.

Matsuyama birdied the par-4 10th hole and added another with a two putt at the par-5 13th to take the lead at 13, but closed with five straight pars.

Hisatsune also birdied 10 and got up and down on the short par-4 17th for birdie to tie for the lead before he missed an 8-foot par putt on 18.

“I'm happy to be minus-1, so ready for tomorrow,” Hisatsune said through an interpreter.

A grip change altered Scheffler's outlook after a shaky 73 in the first round.

Scheffler had his first birdie on the par-4 eighth and holed out a bunker shot at No. 10 for the first of consecutive birdies. He followed a three-putt bogey on the par-3 12th by getting up and down for birdie on the two back-nine par 5s, 13 and 15.

But then he stalled out.

Scheffler missed a birdie putt on No. 16, couldn't get up-and-down from pin high on the par-4 17th and missed another birdie on 18.

"I feel very comfortable where I am at and where my game is at," he said.

That could spell trouble for the rest of the field, even at five shots back.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits his tee shot at the 15th hole during the first round of the Phoenix Open golf tournament at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)