In brief
María Corina Machado, a prominent figure in Venezuela's opposition, was detained during an anti-government protest in Caracas, just ahead of Nicolás Maduro's upcoming swearing-in ceremony for a third term, amid rising tensions in the nation.
María Corina Machado, a leading figure in Venezuela’s opposition movement, was taken into custody on Thursday after participating in a protest in Caracas, as reported by her party, Vente Venezuela. Machado, who has been living discreetly due to the government's threats of arrest, made her first public appearance since August. The circumstances of her detention remain uncertain, although the area was heavily monitored by government forces. According to statements from her party, she was “violently intercepted” as she exited the rally in Chacao, a district in Caracas, with regime troops reportedly firing at the motorcycles used for her escape. As the crisis deepens with President Nicolás Maduro set to officially assume a third term tomorrow, the political atmosphere in the country remains fraught.
