Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado Briefly Detained, Released Amid Protests

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado Detained and Released

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was briefly detained on Wednesday after leaving an anti-government protest in Chacao. Her Vente Venezuela movement reported that she was "violently intercepted" and forced to film videos during her detention.

Machado's ally, opposition leader and former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, demanded her immediate release. Government officials, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, dismissed the arrest as "an invention, a lie."

The incident occurred amid ongoing protests against President Nicolás Maduro, who is due to be sworn in for his third six-year term on Thursday. The opposition is disputing the results of last year's presidential election, which they claim Maduro won through fraudulent means.

The government has accused the opposition of fomenting fascist plots and has detained prominent opposition members and activists in the lead-up to the inauguration. Panama's President José Raúl Mulino demanded Machado's release and respect for her personal integrity.

The White House condemned the harassment of the political opposition by Maduro and his representatives. Venezuelan Information Minister Freddy Nanez dismissed reports of Machado's detention as a "media distraction."

Machado was later released, but the incident highlights the ongoing tensions in Venezuela as Maduro prepares to begin his new term.