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María Corina Machado Briefly Detained After Reappearing; President-elect Demands Immediate Release

Jan 9, 2025, 08:27 PM

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado reappeared in Caracas on Thursday after 133 days in hiding since denouncing election fraud in July. Joined by opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa, she participated in an opposition protest in the Chacao district against President Nicolás Maduro's upcoming inauguration. Addressing supporters, Machado declared, "Venezuela has already decided," adding, "If they carry out that crime against the Constitution and popular sovereignty, they will be sentencing their own destiny." As she departed the rally, Machado was "violently intercepted" by security forces who allegedly fired upon motorcycles in her convoy, according to her campaign team. Reports indicate she was detained, forced to record several videos, and then released. Human Rights Watch confirmed her detention and called for her immediate release. Edmundo González, identified as the president-elect of Venezuela, demanded Machado's immediate release, warning the security forces: "Do not play with fire." After several hours, her campaign team announced that she had been released and was safe.