Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado kidnapped, allies claim

Thousands of protesters, inspired by Machado, took to the streets in cities across Venezuela. In Caracas, Machado addressed a large crowd, climbing onto a truck and chanting, “We are not afraid,” according to The Guardian. After delivering a fiery speech, she left the rally but was soon “violently intercepted,” her representatives said.

“Regime officials opened fire on the motorbikes transporting her,” her team added in a statement.

Machado’s brief detention sparked outrage both locally and internationally. Prominent Venezuelan journalist Carla Angola wrote on social media: “The regime has kidnapped María Corina.” Another journalist, Luz Mely Reyes, said Machado had instructed her team “not to negotiate her freedom” beforehand.

In a statement González declared, “As president-elect, I demand the liberation of María Corina Machado [who was] kidnapped by Venezuelan security forces. To those responsible, I say: do not play with fire.”

The international community reacted strongly. Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino tweeted, “The dictatorial regime is responsible for her life.” Meanwhile, Colombia’s former President Iván Duque described the detention as “yet another demonstration of the cowardly dictator Maduro’s vileness.”

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 9, 2025, a day ahead of Maduro’s inauguration ceremony where he will be sworn in for a third term. (AP)

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told The Guardian: “We continue to condemn Maduro for his attempts to intimidate Venezuela’s democratic opposition. President-elect González is the true winner of the election.”

Three hours after the news of her detention, Machado’s supporters announced she had been released. According to her team, she had been knocked off a motorbike and forced to record videos under duress before being freed.

Pro-regime media dismissed the kidnapping claims, circulating a video of Machado allegedly saying she was safe. However, The Guardian noted that it was unclear how the video was obtained or if Machado was coerced.

In an earlier interview reported by The Guardian, Machado said Venezuela was facing “one of the most important moments in Latin American history.” She added, “The regime relies on repression and fear. If Venezuelans can overcome this fear, repression will be powerless.”

Analysts believe Machado’s detention reflects the regime’s growing confidence in its crackdown on dissent. “They want to create an environment of terror to discourage protests,” said Carlos Lizarralde, an expert on Venezuela.

Machado is expected to address the country soon to explain her detention and release. Meanwhile, the political crisis in Venezuela continues to deepen ahead of Maduro’s controversial swearing-in ceremony.