Italian Venezuelan detainee becomes symbol of political prisoners as Rome presses Caracas

Rome— The case of Daniel Echenagucia has emerged as a stark symbol of more than 20 Italian citizens still detained in Venezuela, as Rome cautiously resumes diplomatic dialogue with Caracas after years of strained relations.

During a meeting in Rome on Friday, Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi held talks with Venezuelan Vice Minister Oliver Blanco, marking the first significant bilateral engagement since diplomatic ties effectively froze between 2019 and 2025. The rupture followed Italy’s refusal to recognise the legitimacy of President Nicolás Maduro after the disputed 2018 elections.

While the meeting signalled a tentative thaw, Italian officials reiterated a firm demand: the release of Italian nationals detained in Venezuela, alongside humanitarian measures for the most vulnerable cases. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry also referred to the need to uphold due process and implement existing amnesty provisions.

However, despite renewed engagement, Venezuelan authorities widely seen as operating under the influence of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez have yet to act on these requests.

At the centre of the issue is Echenagucia, a 48 year old businessman arrested on August 2, 2024, along with his wife and two children. He was subsequently subjected to weeks of enforced disappearance and remains detained in Rodeo I prison.

In an exclusive interview with The Italian Insider, his mother, María Milagros Vallenilla, spoke publicly for the first time, describing severe deterioration in her son’s health after more than twenty months in custody.

“Daniel has suffered from chronic asthma since childhood, which is aggravated by his current conditions,” she said, explaining that he is held in a cramped, humid cell. “There is a latrine next to his cement bed, and he is forced to breathe smoke from burning rubbish every day.”

She added that his physical condition has worsened dramatically. “In the first 64 days of his disappearance he lost 18 kilos. Now he has lost more than 30,” she said, noting that his diet consists largely of carbohydrates, with little protein, despite underlying metabolic issues.

The impact extends beyond the detainee himself. “His children are deeply affected. We have had to place them in psychological treatment,” she said, referring to the trauma experienced by his teenage children, who witnessed his arrest and continue to endure his prolonged absence.

Legal concerns further complicate the case. According to Vallenilla, a release order issued on January 19, 2026 has not been enforced. “We know the details of the document, but authorities have refused to deliver it,” she said, adding that a request under an amnesty framework had also been rejected.

Her account echoes that of many families gathered daily outside Venezuelan detention centres, awaiting news of potential releases. “They speak of forgiveness and reconciliation, but repression continues,” she said, estimating that more than 500 people remain detained in harsh conditions.

Addressing the international community, Vallenilla appealed directly to the administration of Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prioritise the issue of political prisoners in any negotiations with Caracas.

“Their release must be a key and non negotiable element in any progress towards economic agreements or investment,” she said.

She concluded with a broader reflection on Venezuela’s ongoing crisis: “There can be no progress in any country while mothers are still waiting for the freedom of their children.”

As Italy cautiously reopens diplomatic channels, cases such as that of Daniel Echenagucia underscore the human cost behind political negotiations and the unresolved fate of those still held in Venezuelan prisons.

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