Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado announced that her colleague, Juan Pablo Guanipa, had been kidnapped mere hours after his release from detention. The incident occurred in the Los Chorros neighborhood of Caracas, where heavily armed men in civilian clothing abducted him. Guanipa, leader of the Justice First party, had been released after spending eight months in prison, and was among several political prisoners freed recently.
Machado expressed her concerns on social media, describing how armed assailants took Guanipa away in four vehicles. His party claimed he was kidnapped by the 'repressive forces of the dictatorship,' highlighting the ongoing political tensions in Venezuela.
Guanipa, who was elected as the governor of Zulia region in 2017 but was barred from taking office, fled after being accused of terrorism for challenging the election results. His recent detention was part of a troubling pattern of the government using political imprisonment as a tool of suppression.
Opposition leaders are calling on the international community to advocate for the 'immediate release' of Guanipa and to stop the government's persecution. Just before his abduction, Guanipa's son had celebrated his father's release, expressing hope for a family reunion. The political climate remains tense, as human rights groups decry the government's actions against dissent and opposition voices.
Machado expressed her concerns on social media, describing how armed assailants took Guanipa away in four vehicles. His party claimed he was kidnapped by the 'repressive forces of the dictatorship,' highlighting the ongoing political tensions in Venezuela.
Guanipa, who was elected as the governor of Zulia region in 2017 but was barred from taking office, fled after being accused of terrorism for challenging the election results. His recent detention was part of a troubling pattern of the government using political imprisonment as a tool of suppression.
Opposition leaders are calling on the international community to advocate for the 'immediate release' of Guanipa and to stop the government's persecution. Just before his abduction, Guanipa's son had celebrated his father's release, expressing hope for a family reunion. The political climate remains tense, as human rights groups decry the government's actions against dissent and opposition voices.
