Venezuela’s prominent opposition leader, MarÃa Corina Machado, was briefly detained by adversaries during an antigovernment protest in Caracas on Thursday, according to a statement from a political aide on X. She was released shortly thereafter.
Her party reported that Ms. Machado was “violently intercepted as she left the gathering,” and noted that “regime troops shot at the motorcycles that were transporting her.”
Nicolás Maduro, the country’s autocrat, is scheduled to be sworn in for a third term as president on Friday.
Ms. Machado had been in hiding in Venezuela due to threats of arrest from government officials. This protest marked her first public appearance since August, where she had called for gatherings across the country and in cities worldwide to oppose Mr. Maduro’s inauguration.
Thousands attended the event in Caracas, demonstrating their support for Ms. Machado while risking government detention. During the rally, she stood atop a truck as supporters chanted, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”
Magalli Meda, a political aide, reported that as Ms. Machado was leaving the gathering, she was knocked off her motorbike. “Firearms went off at the event,” Ms. Meda stated. “They took her away by force.”
During her brief detention, Ms. Machado was reportedly forced to record several videos before being released. Ms. Meda indicated that Ms. Machado would address the country shortly to explain the events.
Representatives for Ms. Machado did not disclose who was responsible for her detention. The protest was heavily monitored by government security forces, often supported by armed gangs known as colectivos.
In a television interview, Venezuela’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, dismissed the claims of her capture as “a lie” and accused the opposition of fabricating the incident for publicity.
The opposition, along with the United States and other nations, alleges that Mr. Maduro unlawfully won a recent election, claiming that the true victor was Edmundo González, a former diplomat supported by Ms. Machado, who has been in exile since September.
Prior to her detention, Ms. Machado expressed to her followers, “This force that we have built and that grows every day has prepared us for this final phase.” She added, “Whatever they do tomorrow,” referring to the Maduro inauguration, “they’ve just buried themselves!”
Since the July 28 election, approximately 2,000 individuals have been detained in Venezuela, including notable figures such as Mr. González’s son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, and Carlos Correa, the director of the nonprofit organization Espacio Público.