CARACAS, Venezuela — A tumultuous day unfolded as aides to opposition leader María Corina Machado claimed she was detained on Thursday, only for government officials to quickly deny the allegations, leading to confusion amid ongoing protests aimed at halting President Nicolás Maduro’s grip on power.
The exact details remained murky after Machado embraced hundreds of supporters, mounted a motorcycle, and sped down a major avenue in Caracas with her security entourage. At around 3:21 p.m. local time, her press team took to social media, asserting that security personnel had “violently intercepted” their convoy. Subsequently, her aides informed the media that she had been detained, prompting a wave of international outcry from leaders across Latin America and beyond, all demanding her release.
An hour later, a 20-second proof-of-life video featuring Machado surfaced online. In it, she stated that she was shadowed after leaving what she described as a “wonderful” rally and that her purse had been lost. Her aides later claimed the video had been recorded under duress and asserted that she was liberated shortly after. They indicated that Machado would elaborate more on her experience of what they termed a “kidnapping” later.
The term kidnapping has increasingly been linked to the state’s strategy of apprehending dissenters without legal propriety, a tactic seen as an effort to suppress dissent following contentious election results. By late Thursday, Machado assured her supporters through a post that she was “in a safe place” and more resolute than ever in her fight against Maduro’s regime. She also mentioned that a person was shot during the incident involving her arrest.
Efforts to clarify her statement went unanswered, but she indicated her plan to share further details the following day. Meanwhile, Maduro’s supporters refuted claims of Machado’s detention, accusing opponents of fabricating stories to incite an international crisis. Communication Minister Freddy Nanez commented, “Nobody should be surprised, especially since it’s coming from the fascists, who were the architects of the dirty trick.”
Earlier in the day, Machado rallied hundreds of activists, urging them to protest just before the ruling party-dominated National Assembly was set to swear in Maduro for another six-year term, despite widely reported election fraud. “They wanted us to fight each other, but Venezuela is united; we are not afraid,” she proclaimed energetically from a truck just moments before her reported arrest.
Machado, 57, has become a staunch opponent to Maduro, refusing to back down even as many of her fellow opposition leaders fled the country amid increasing repression. A significant number of Venezuelans, totaling over 7.7 million, have left since 2013, seeking refuge from the deteriorating situation. Although banned from running against Maduro last year due to political maneuvering by loyalists in the judiciary, she ingeniously supported a lesser-known candidate, retired diplomat Edmundo González, who, according to opposition records and verified by international observers, decisively won against Maduro by more than two-to-one.
González, claiming the title of president-elect acknowledged by the U.S. and several nations, called for Machado’s immediate release. In a social media message from the Dominican Republic, where he met with the nation’s president and former leaders from Latin America, he warned the security forces, “Don’t play with fire.” Former President Donald Trump also expressed his support for Machado and González, emphasizing that these “freedom fighters” must remain unharmed and safe.
Despite the calls for protest, attendance was relatively low, as riot police were heavily deployed throughout the area. Many Venezuelans have grown wary of the government’s security apparatus, having witnessed the arbitrary detention of both known opposition members and bystanders since the troubling elections earlier in the year. “Of course, there’s fewer people,” observed empanada vendor Miguel Contreras, as National Guard soldiers patrolled nearby. “There’s fear.”
Demonstrators managed to block a key avenue in a known opposition region, with many dressed in the colors of the Venezuelan flag, voicing their discontent toward Maduro, while vowing to recognize González as the rightful president of Venezuela. The mobilization of government security forces, including armed groups known as “colectivos,” highlights a profound sense of insecurity within Maduro’s administration, pointed out Javier Corrales, a Latin America academic.
Since the elections, the regime has reportedly detained over 2,000 individuals, including American citizens and foreigners, citing conspiracy charges to instigate disturbances in the oil-rich nation. Recently, masked individuals apprehended a former presidential candidate and a prominent free speech advocate, along with González’s son-in-law while he was at school with his children.
Corrales remarked on the paradox of the government’s actions: “It’s an impressive show of force but also a sign of weakness.” Although he affirmed Maduro retains his position, the government faces a legitimacy crisis that cannot be masked without military support. The National Electoral Council, also aligned with the government, declared Maduro as the election winner, yet failed to release any credible voting data or results.
In contrast, the opposition collected data from 85% of voting machines, showing that González overwhelmingly defeated Maduro. Observers from the United Nations and the Carter Center confirmed the legitimacy of the opposition’s published results. The U.S., along with several other nations, acknowledged González as Venezuela’s president-elect, and even former leftist allies in Latin America have opted to skip Friday’s inauguration ceremony.
President Joe Biden’s recent meeting with González highlighted this shift, as he commended the little-known diplomat for inspiring hope in millions. The president stated, “The people of Venezuela deserve a peaceful transfer of power to the true winner of their presidential election,” following their meeting at the White House.