LONDON

The Italian prime minister on Friday welcomed the release of "political prisoners" in Venezuela, including Italian citizens among them, expressing hope for the opening of constructive relations between Rome and Caracas.

"I express my gratitude for the decision to begin the release of political prisoners, including Italians among them," Giorgia Meloni wrote on US social media company X. About 160,000 Italian citizens currently live in Venezuela.

The Italian premier said she sincerely hopes that this process continues with further steps in the same direction.

"I hope that with President Delcy Rodriguez a new season of constructive relations between Rome and Caracas will open," she added.

Her remarks came after Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced Thursday that Venezuela has started the process of freeing individuals held on political grounds, including international detainees.

"The Bolivarian administration has resolved to discharge a large number of Venezuelan and international prisoners, with these releases currently underway," Rodriguez said in a national video address aired on the state-operated network TeleSur.

Rodriguez assumed interim administration following a Jan. 3 military operation by the US that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They are being tried in New York for "narcoterorrism" and other charges.