The resumption of flights from Portugal to Venezuela is imminent, and currently, there are nine Portuguese-Venezuelans detained in South American jails, Minister of Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel has stated today in parliament.
Questioned about the situation in Venezuela during a parliamentary hearing, Rangel reiterated that Portugal continues to monitor the situation, which it considers stabilised, but still “uncertain.”
Reinforced contacts have been made with the Portuguese embassy in Caracas, and with the consulates, and “the reestablishment of the air bridge, interrupted since November 2025, is expected very soon.”
Rangel further reinforced Portugal’s position, clarifying that, in the face of the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3, it has two options: “To conduct a transition in which the President elected in 2024, Edmundo González, is installed in office” or, “if the political forces agreed, elections.” He admitted that conditions are “not right for the second option”.
Regarding the number of Portuguese-Venezuelan prisoners still languishing in South American jails, Rangel clarified that there are nine – but that Venezuela considers them to be simply Venezuelan nationals, which “makes Portuguese diplomatic action difficult.”
“There are nine identified prisoners, but some have other associated crimes, such as common crimes. (…) Political prisoners, for sure, are five,” Rangel clarified.
The Portuguese foreign minister also recalled that Portugal did not recognise Maduro’s re-election in 2024 – but he appears to have been diplomatic over how the country regards the current situation in which Maduro’s chosen replacement remains ‘leading the country’, ostensibly in close contact with the Americans.
Source material: Lusa
