Controversial presidential election: After kidnapping: Venezuela’s opposition leader Machado free

After her first public appearance in months, Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado was kidnapped following a protest rally and later released, according to her campaign platform. She was violently intercepted and abducted in the capital Caracas, said “Comando con Venezuela” on the X platform. “During her abduction, she was forced to record several videos and was later released.” She will contact the country in the next few hours to explain the situation.

Opposition candidate Edmundo González had previously called for their immediate release on X. He has been claiming victory in the presidential election in July for months. The USA and several Latin American countries also recognize him as the winner of the election. However, the loyal electoral authority declared the authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power for almost twelve years, as the election winner. He is scheduled to be sworn into office on Friday.

Machado left her shelter for the first time in months and joined the protests she had called by thousands of people against the swearing-in. “I am here, with you, and until the end,” she wrote on X. The 57-year-old did not appear in public after the election for security reasons. People across the country took to the streets with slogans such as “Glory to the brave people,” as can be seen in pictures on online networks.

González left for Spain at the beginning of September and applied for political asylum there. Most recently, he announced that he would return to his homeland and be sworn in as president of the South American country on Friday. However, there is an arrest warrant for him in Venezuela.