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0 News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/venezuelan-opposition-leader-maria-corina-machado-freed-after-arrest-during-protest/
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was released on Thursday, January 9, 2025, following her detention earlier in the day, which came amid a wave of opposition protests across the country.
The protests, organized as part of an eleventh-hour push to pressure President Nicolás Maduro ahead of his third inauguration, saw clashes and significant unrest in Caracas and beyond.
Machado was detained shortly after making her first public appearance in months, which was marked by gunshots as she left a demonstration in the eastern part of the capital. Her arrest, which occurred in the midst of rising tensions, prompted immediate condemnation from both her allies and the international community. Edmundo González, a former presidential candidate and a key ally of Machado, demanded her immediate release, which was echoed by several foreign governments.
In a statement, Vente Venezuela, Machado’s political movement, confirmed her detention and later release, stating that she was forced to record several videos while in custody. In one such video, Machado is seen sitting on the curb, recounting the loss of her wallet during the incident. Vente Venezuela promised to release further details in the coming hours, adding to the growing scrutiny of the situation.
The government, however, dismissed the arrest as a fabricated stunt by the opposition. Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Interior Minister, accused Machado of orchestrating the entire event for political gain. “They end with the absurdity of absurdities, lying to say the government had captured María Corina,” Cabello declared during a rally in Caracas, suggesting that the videos filmed by Machado were part of the opposition’s efforts to generate sympathy.
The political climate in Venezuela remains highly polarized, with both the ruling party and the opposition claiming victory in last year’s presidential election. While the government and the country’s electoral authority maintain that Maduro won the July election, the lack of detailed election results has fueled ongoing disputes over the legitimacy of his leadership.
Machado, a vocal critic of Maduro, had called on citizens to protest peacefully and urged police and military personnel, many of whom had been stationed at polling stations during the election, to back the opposition’s claims of a stolen victory. “Whatever they do, tomorrow they will finally bury themselves,” she told the crowd, which numbered in the thousands by the afternoon, according to Reuters witnesses.
The protests, particularly in Caracas, were met with harsh responses from security forces. In the western oil city of Maracaibo, opposition protests were quickly dispersed by motorcycle-mounted police, while similar scenes unfolded in other cities such as Valencia and Maracay, where protesters were subjected to tear gas.
International reactions to the events have been swift. The White House condemned the Maduro regime for its continued crackdown on democratic opposition and reaffirmed its support for González, whom they regard as the rightful winner of the presidential election. The U.S. government further expressed concern about the Venezuelan authorities’ attempts to intimidate political opponents.
Meanwhile, Machado, who has faced multiple investigations by the Venezuelan Attorney General’s office, continues to be a symbol of defiance against the government. Despite the threat of arrest and the tense political environment, opposition leaders like her and González remain steadfast in their commitment to challenge Maduro’s rule.
As Venezuela approaches another contentious inauguration, the deepening divide between the government and the opposition shows no signs of abating. While the Maduro regime’s hold on power remains firm, the resilience of the opposition, bolstered by figures like María Corina Machado, ensures that the struggle for democracy in Venezuela is far from over.
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/venezuelan-opposition-leader-maria-corina-machado-freed-after-arrest-during-protest/
