Latest news with #Guanipa
Eyewitness News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Venezuela opposition leader arrested ahead of tense election
CARACAS - Leading Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa was arrested Friday on charges of conspiring to sabotage upcoming parliamentary and regional elections that the opposition has vowed to boycott. The arrest of Guanipa, a 60-year-old former MP and close ally of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, comes amid rising tensions ahead of Sunday's election. Machado has called on voters to spurn the ballot, which comes 10 months after elections that leftist President Nicolas Maduro is widely accused of stealing. Guanipa, like Machado, went into hiding after the July 2024 presidential vote, which the opposition and much of the international community believes opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia rightfully won. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa's arrest to what the government called a foiled plot by foreign mercenaries to sabotage Sunday's vote for members of parliament and 24 state governors. "He is one of the leaders of this terrorist network," Cabello said on state television, adding that the plan to disrupt the vote was detailed on four telephones and a laptop found in Guanipa's possession. The suspects planned to plant bombs in hospitals, metro stations, police stations and power plants, Cabello said, adding that authorities had seized explosives, weapons, detonators and cash. He added that 70 other people had also been arrested in connection with the alleged plot, including citizens of Ecuador, Argentina, Germany, Serbia and "a few" Pakistani nationals. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement expressing "concern following the unjustified and arbitrary arrest of opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa and over 70 individuals" in what he labelled a "new wave of repression from the Maduro regime." A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, read: "If you are reading this, it is because I have been kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime." "I am not sure what will happen to me in the coming hours, days and weeks. But what I am sure of is that we will win the long fight against the dictatorship." 'STATE TERRORISM' Machado accused Maduro of "STATE TERRORISM, pure and simple," saying Guanipa was "an example for all citizens and political leaders, inside and outside Venezuela." Maduro has presided over the collapse of oil-rich Venezuela's economy over his past 12 years of increasingly repressive rule. Millions of people have fled the country, mostly to other Latin American countries. In July, Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results, which showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. The state prosecutor's office on Friday accused Guanipa of having been part of a "criminal organization" that attempted to sabotage that election, as well as this weekend's vote. Maduro, a former bus driver who was hand-picked by late firebrand socialist leader Hugo Chavez to succeed him in 2013, frequently claims to be the target of US- and Colombian-backed coup plots. Mass arrests of government critics have become routine. The government on Monday suspended flights from Colombia after arresting dozens of people it said were mercenaries that had slipped into Venezuela from its neighbour. A trained lawyer, Guanipa was named vice president in the now-defunct parallel government established by former opposition leader Juan Guaido after 2018 presidential elections which returned Maduro for a second term. The opposition boycotted those elections after its most popular candidates were barred from running.
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Opposition vows boycott as Venezuela holds divisive new vote
CARACAS: Can Venezuelans be persuaded to return to the polls on Sunday, 10 months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed a third term in elections marred by violence and allegations of fraud? The issue of voter participation is the big unknown as the sanctions-hit Caribbean country returns to the polls to elect a new parliament and 24 state governors. The main opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP, has urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election by voting. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. 'We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle,' said Capriles, who is running for parliament. Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. On Friday, a leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on charges of heading a 'terrorist network' planning to attack Sunday's vote. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, declared he had been 'kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime' but would continue the 'long fight against the dictatorship.' Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after the July presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results from polling stations, which appeared to showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader.
LeMonde
25-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Opposition vows boycott as Venezuela holds divisive new elections
A trickle of Venezuelans lined up at the polls early Sunday, May 25, to elect a new parliament and state governors in a vote that the main opposition party was boycotting in protest at last summer's disputed reelection of President Nicolas Maduro. Some 21 million voters are eligible to cast their ballot for 285 members of the National Assembly and 24 governors, including for the first time in the disputed oil-rich region of Essequibo, on the border with Guyana. But pollster Delphos projected a turnout of just 16%, mostly Maduro supporters, after the main opposition – led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP – urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election. Polls opened at 6 am and most polling stations in central Caracas remained deserted within the first hour, with just a handful of voters lining up. It was a far cry from the crowded presidential election of last summer, marred by violence and allegations of fraud as Maduro claimed a third-term victory. The polls officially close at 6 pm, although polling stations must remain open as long as there are voters waiting in line. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles had rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. "We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle," said Capriles, who is running for parliament. 'Fight against dictatorship' Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. A leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on Friday on charges of heading a "terrorist network" planning to attack Sunday's vote. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account shortly after his arrest declared he had been "kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime" but would continue the "long fight against the dictatorship." Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after last July's presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally from polling stations, which appeared to show a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy – once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions – faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline.
France 24
25-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Opposition vows boycott as Venezuela holds divisive new vote
The issue of voter participation is the big unknown as the sanctions-hit Caribbean country returns to the polls to elect a new parliament and 24 state governors. The main opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP, has urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election by voting. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. "We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle," said Capriles, who is running for parliament. 'Fight the dictatorship' Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. On Friday, a leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on charges of heading a "terrorist network" planning to attack Sunday's vote. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, declared he had been "kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime" but would continue the "long fight against the dictatorship." US blow to oil revenues Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after the July presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results from polling stations, which appeared to showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy -- once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions -- faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a brutal prison for gangsters in El Salvador. The pressure has failed to sway Maduro, who continues to defy the world and spar with his neighbors. On Sunday, Venezuela will for the first time hold elections for parliament and state governor in the disputed oil-rich region of Essequibo, on its border with Guyana. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it.
Int'l Business Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Opposition Vows Boycott As Venezuela Holds Divisive New Vote
Can Venezuelans be persuaded to return to the polls on Sunday, 10 months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed a third term in elections marred by violence and allegations of fraud? The issue of voter participation is the big unknown as the sanctions-hit Caribbean country returns to the polls to elect a new parliament and 24 state governors. The main opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP, has urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election by voting. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. "We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle," said Capriles, who is running for parliament. Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. On Friday, a leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on charges of heading a "terrorist network" planning to attack Sunday's vote. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, declared he had been "kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime" but would continue the "long fight against the dictatorship." Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after the July presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results from polling stations, which appeared to showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy -- once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions -- faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a brutal prison for gangsters in El Salvador. The pressure has failed to sway Maduro, who continues to defy the world and spar with his neighbors. On Sunday, Venezuela will for the first time hold elections for parliament and state governor in the disputed oil-rich region of Essequibo, on its border with Guyana. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it. Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) is one of the few world leaders to recognize Nicolas Maduro's (L) claim to have won a third term in Venezuela's July 2024 presidential election AFP
