MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

María Corina Machado's arrest ordered, Venezuelan opposition warns

The political climate in Venezuela has grown increasingly volatile following the contested election results

The Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the arrest of opposition leader María Corina Machado, a prominent figure in the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD). This move, denounced by leaders within PUD, comes amid a turbulent post-election period marked by accusations of irregularities and widespread unrest.

The order for Machado's arrest was reportedly signed by high-ranking judicial officials, including Katherine Nayartih Haringhton Padrón, president of the judicial circuit of the metropolitan area of Caracas, magistrate Elsa Janeth Gómez Moreno, and Angel Fuenmayor, director of common crimes. The arrest is to be executed by the second court of terrorism in Caracas, with security forces DGCIM and SEBIN assigned to carry out the operation.

The political climate in Venezuela has grown increasingly volatile following the contested election results, which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner with 50.20% of the vote over opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who received 44.20% according to the National Electoral Council (CNE), controlled by Maduro. Protests have erupted nationwide, leading to at least four deaths and the toppling of statues of former President Hugo Chávez.

Diplomatic tensions are also on the rise, with several countries, including Uruguay, expressing concern over the election process and subsequent events. The Venezuelan Parliament has declared the elections fraudulent and labeled Maduro's government as illegitimate.

Adding to the tension, Diosdado Cabello, a key Chavista leader, issued a direct threat to Machado and other opposition figures. In a parliamentary session, Cabello stated, “We are going to fuck you up,” targeting Machado, González Urrutia, and other anti-Chavista leaders such as Leopoldo López, Julio Borges, Carlos Vecchio, Henrique Capriles, Antonio Ledezma, Henry Ramos Allup, and Carlos Ocariz. Cabello emphasized that these individuals would be charged with severe crimes and would receive no leniency.

“We are not going to stop, and if they want to provoke us, I am going to tell them something, we are going to fall into provocation, but we are going to fuck them up,” Cabello reiterated. He labeled González Urrutia a “miserable old man” and an “unscrupulous rat,” accusing him of being a CIA agent involved in past assassinations in El Salvador.

This development comes at a time when Venezuela is already grappling with significant political and social upheaval. The arrest order against María Corina Machado is likely to further inflame the situation, potentially leading to more protests and international condemnation.

As the international community closely monitors the unfolding crisis, calls for transparency and respect for democratic processes in Venezuela continue to grow. The situation remains fluid, with potential implications for regional stability and international diplomatic relations.