Officials from Nicolás Maduro’s regime kidnapped opposition leader María Corina Machado by intercepting her on Thursday afternoon as she was leaving a gathering in the Chacao municipality, in support of Edmundo González and for the freedom of Venezuela.
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Less than an hour later, it was announced that the leader had been released.
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What Happened to María Corina Machado?
“María Corina Machado was violently intercepted as she left the gathering in Chacao. We are waiting to confirm her situation in minutes. Regime forces fired at the motorcycles transporting her,” denounced her team Comando con Venezuela at 3:38 in the afternoon (Venezuelan time).
According to reports, regime agents fired at supporters during the rally while capturing Machado. They detained not only her but also the motorcycle driver transporting her.
Groups aligned with the former National Assembly deputy described the incident as arbitrary detention, while others called it a kidnapping.
By attending the rally in Chacao on Thursday, Machado demonstrated that she was still in the country. She was received with ovations from opposition supporters and delivered a speech on freedom 24 hours before Maduro is set to be sworn in again as president of Venezuela, in elections recognized by very few countries.
“Venezuela has already decided, Venezuela is free. From today, we enter a new phase… Now, the real fight begins. Glory to the brave people… We said it, today we are on every street in Venezuela and around the world. I am here with you, and I will remain until the end. Nothing is impossible if Venezuelans move forward together, united,” she declared.
Machado, chosen by Edmundo González to be his vice president, asserted that Nicolás Maduro’s term had expired and that González, elected in the July 28, 2024, elections, should be sworn in as president.
“What happens tomorrow seals the regime’s fate,” she said to applause from the audience.
Calls for María Corina Machado’s Release
As soon as the kidnapping was reported, Edmundo González demanded Machado’s release through social media. Machado had endorsed his presidential candidacy after being barred from running herself.
“As the elected president, I demand the immediate release of María Corina Machado. To the security forces who kidnapped her, I say: do not play with fire,” said González, who has already been recognized as Venezuela’s elected president by several countries.
Other governments echoed this call. José Raúl Mulino, Panama’s president, demanded Machado’s full release, stating: “Panama demands the full freedom of María Corina Machado and respect for her personal integrity. The dictatorial regime is responsible for her life! María Corina, we will not abandon you. Venezuela will be free!”
Juan Pappier, deputy director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch (HRW), also called for her release and urged the international community to act. “We have confirmed the detention of Venezuela’s opposition leader. The international community must demand her immediate release,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He added, “By arresting Machado, Maduro seeks to put the final nail in the coffin of the electoral process. But we all know who won the election. The international community cannot normalize fraud amid the most critical human rights crisis in our hemisphere.”
María Corina Machado Released After Being Forced to Record Videos
Approximately 40 minutes after her detention, reports emerged that Machado had been released.
Official sources denied that she had been detained, creating confusion in the media.
At 5:06 PM, Comando con Venezuela confirmed that she had indeed been held and later released after being forced to record several videos:
“Today, #Jan9, after leaving the rally in Chacao, Caracas, María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) was intercepted and knocked off the motorcycle she was riding. Firearms were discharged during the incident. She was forcibly detained. During her captivity, she was forced to record several videos and was subsequently released. In the coming hours, she will address the nation to explain the events.”