There is fresh hope for the release of Italian aid worker Alberto Trentini and businessman Mario Burlò after Venezuela this week began freeing some political prisoners. The move follows the United States’ recent ousting of former leader Nicolás Maduro. This shift has prompted Caracas to signal a possible thaw in its handling of foreign detainees.
In the initial wave of releases, Venezuelan authorities freed Biagio Pilieri, an Italian–Venezuelan politician and journalist who had been held for about 16 months. Also released was 77-year-old entrepreneur Luigi Gasperin. He was arrested in August 2025 on charges related to explosives allegedly found at his company.
Trentini, a Venetian aid worker aged 46, was arrested in November 2024 in the western state of Apure while working for the humanitarian organisation Humanity and Inclusion. He has been held at the maximum-security El Rodeo prison in Caracas despite no formal charges being laid against him.
Burlò, from Turin, was detained in Venezuela in 2024 after travelling there to explore potential business opportunities. He has been in custody for over a year with family and legal representatives describing his detention as lacking clear legal basis.
Before this announcement, there were around 28 Italians known to be held in Venezuelan prisons. Many of them hold dual Italian–Venezuelan citizenship and are considered political detainees.
Cautious optimism from Italian government
In Rome, authorities have responded with measured optimism. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has been in close contact with Italian diplomats in Caracas, the country’s consular network and representatives of the church and civil society to help secure the release of each detained Italian. The Foreign Ministry said these efforts aim to “ensure a favourable solution for each individual detainee.”
Families of those still in detention, including Trentini’s, have expressed cautious hope. They welcome the release of fellow compatriots while urging continued diplomatic pressure.
