María Corina Machado Emerges After 133 Days to Join Protests, Risks Arrest

Jan 9, 2025, 06:37 PM

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado emerged from hiding on Thursday to join anti-government protests in Caracas, risking arrest after 133 days in clandestinity. Accompanied by fellow opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa, Machado appeared atop a vehicle in the Chacao district, waving the Venezuelan flag and addressing hundreds of supporters. "We are not afraid. I am here with you, until the end," she declared. Her appearance comes ahead of President Nicolás Maduro's planned inauguration, which the opposition claims is based on a fraudulent re-election. "From today, we are in a new phase," Machado said. "Whatever they do tomorrow, they are burying themselves." Machado had been in hiding for months due to multiple arrest warrants and threats against her by the Maduro government.