María Corina Machado Reveals Details of Her Arrest in Caracas: "Edmundo Will Come at the Right Time"

In a statement shared on Friday via her social media platforms, María Corina Machado not only condemned the repression she faced but also provided an account of the incident and shared her thoughts on Venezuela's ongoing political crisis. The opposition leader took to Instagram to describe how she was "violently intercepted" by regime forces following her participation in Thursday's opposition demonstration in Caracas.

Machado detailed her arrest, describing how she was forcibly removed from a motorcycle and transported by armed officers of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB). According to her account, the officers took her near the Boleita area, where she was eventually released after being coerced into recording a video to prove she was alive.

She reported that one of the motorcyclists escorting her was shot by the PNB and subsequently detained. Machado also stated that she suffered bruises and pain due to the violent nature of her arrest, commenting, "This is how they operate, attacking a woman from behind," in reference to the treatment she received.

The opposition leader interpreted the incident as an indication of internal conflicts within Nicolás Maduro's regime and expressed gratitude to international leaders and governments that, according to her, applied pressure on the regime to halt her kidnapping. Machado also emphasized that over 20 Venezuelans, including regional leaders and journalists, were pursued and arrested during protests in various cities across the country, calling them "heroes" and vowing to fight for their release.

Regarding the elected president Edmundo González Urrutia, Machado confirmed that he will not enter Venezuela at this time due to the security risks involved. "I've asked him not to come because his safety is crucial for the ultimate defeat of the regime," she stated, assuring that González will be sworn in as constitutional president when the conditions are right.

Machado sent a message of resilience to Venezuelans: "Today, I urge every Venezuelan to firmly exercise their right to protest. Maduro has solidified the coup and violated our constitution. It is time to do whatever it takes to restore it." She declared that "Today, January 10, Maduro consolidates a coup," highlighting the regime's continuation as another blow to the country's democracy.

Maduro was illegitimately sworn in for a third consecutive presidential term, an act widely rejected by the international community due to the lack of transparency and legitimacy in the electoral process held in late July 2024 in the South American nation. Jorge Rodríguez, head of Parliament and one of Maduro's closest allies, officiated the ceremony with the words: “You are hereby invested in the office of constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”

Following the swearing-in, Maduro delivered a speech asserting that his authority is derived from the people. "The power I have has not been granted by a foreign government, nor by a gringo government. The United States did not place me as president. My power comes from history and the people," he declared.

In this context, the United States increased the reward this Friday for information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and influential Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, raising it from 15 to 25 million dollars each.