On January 9, 2025, María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, was detained in Caracas following her participation in a protest against President Nicolás Maduro's inauguration for a third term. The event marked her first public appearance in months after being in hiding due to political persecution.
Machado had recently addressed supporters, breaking a 133-day silence enforced by the Maduro regime. Reports indicate that as she attempted to leave the rally, her convoy was violently intercepted, with claims of shots fired at her motorcycle.
Edmundo González Urrutia, who claims to have won the presidential elections against Maduro, called for Machado's immediate release through social media, warning security forces not to provoke further unrest.
The opposition organized protests across Venezuela in a last-ditch effort to challenge Maduro's swearing-in, which is scheduled for January 10, 2025.