MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

María Corina Machado leads demonstrations in Caracas that end in confusing arrest claims

State forces allegedly shot at Machado's bodyguards

Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was intercepted and detained this Thursday in Caracas in the middle of a demonstration called by the opposition on the eve of the inauguration for the 2025-2031 term of Nicolás Maduro, even though there is no evidence to support his victory in the July 28 Presidential elections. However, the situation surrounding Machado remains unclear after the circulation of different versions that ratify her freedom after the violent episode.

According to her campaign team, the assault on the caravan carrying Machado included drones, motorcycles and a large contingent of government agents.

Machado's team and witnesses denounced that Chavista agents intercepted the motorcycle in which she was riding, using gunshots to stop her advance. The opposition leader was taken down by force and held for a brief period, according to the statement released by her collaborators. During her capture, they say, she was forced to record several videos before being released.

The incident occurred when Machado was leaving an opposition rally in the Eastern municipality of Chacao. Magalli Meda, Machado's campaign chief, confirmed that both Machado and the driver of her motorcycle were intercepted and subsequently detained.

Machado reappeared at noon in Chacao, in the heart of a militarized Caracas, where her followers were waiting for her amid a heavy deployment of government security. Dressed without bulletproof vest or helmet, she climbed on the roof of a pickup truck and, raising her arms, proclaimed: “We are not afraid!”. Her public return occurs in a context of political persecution, since the Chavista Attorney General's Office accuses her of treason.

The Comando con Venezuela, an organization supporting Machado, denounced the situation on its X account, stating that officials shot at the motorcycles of the caravan. For the moment, no further details have been revealed about the whereabouts of the leader or the circumstances of her detention. 

The day, marked by uncertainty, culminated with a viral video that has generated more questions than answers. In it, Machado, apparently under duress, appears with her face half hidden and declares that she lost her wallet, but that she is fine. Opposition leader Leopoldo López denounced that the video “is false or was recorded under pressure”.

Circula esta fe de vida de Machado. pic.twitter.com/GjwrB2HHMr

— Luz Mely Reyes (@LuzMelyReyes) January 9, 2025

In the months leading up to the date, Machado had kept away from the streets in hiding.

“We are not afraid”, the leader had proclaimed shortly before being detained in the Venezuelan capital, militarized and practically in a state of siege.

Hours before, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had assured from the Dominican Republic that “very soon” he will be in Venezuela to wear the presidential sash and, at least from a symbolic point of view, to take office.

The inauguration of Nicolás Maduro for a third term, scheduled for tomorrow, is shaping up to be an event surrounded by tension and international isolation. With accusations of electoral fraud and a country on edge, the government has reinforced security in the main cities and borders.

 

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