CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s political crisis deepened Friday with the arrest of Juan Pablo Guanipa, a prominent opposition figure and close ally of Maria Corina Machado, on allegations of leading a terrorist conspiracy to disrupt upcoming legislative elections. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the arrest during a nationally televised address, accusing Guanipa of inciting violence and laundering money.
Guanipa, a 60-year-old lawyer and long-standing member of the Venezuelan opposition, had been in hiding since the disputed 2024 presidential election. His dramatic arrest was captured on state television, where footage showed masked security agents detaining him while he wore a flak jacket. Cabello said Guanipa had believed he was “untouchable, invisible.”
According to the government, Guanipa is one of 70 individuals, including foreign nationals, accused of plotting attacks during Sunday’s regional and legislative elections. Authorities claim the alleged operation involved attempts to sabotage the country’s power grid and sow unrest.
These accusations follow a familiar pattern in Venezuela, where officials frequently blame the opposition and foreign powers — particularly the United States — for destabilizing the country. Both the opposition and U.S. officials have consistently denied such allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated.
Guanipa’s arrest comes at a pivotal moment, just days before Venezuelans are set to vote. The opposition accuses President Nicolás Maduro of orchestrating a campaign of repression ahead of the elections. Rights groups report an uptick in politically motivated arrests since the 2024 vote, which was widely condemned by international observers as undemocratic.
Although Venezuela’s electoral authority and Supreme Court declared Maduro the victor in last year’s presidential race, they have yet to release detailed voting tallies. The opposition maintains its candidate won decisively and has published independent tallies supporting that claim.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Guanipa said his arrest was a direct response to the government’s fear of the public’s electoral will. “Brothers, if you are reading this, it is because I have been kidnapped by the forces of the regime of Nicolás Maduro,” he wrote. “I don’t know what will happen to me in the coming hours, days, or weeks. But I am sure that we will win this long fight against the dictatorship.”
Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader who was barred from running for president but remains one of Venezuela’s most popular political figures, expressed solidarity with her detained ally. “To Juan Pablo and all our imprisoned colleagues: every moment of our lives is dedicated to freeing you and all of Venezuela,” she wrote on X. Machado added that at least 50 activists, journalists, and human rights defenders have been arrested under Maduro’s regime in recent months.
The detention of Guanipa follows the earlier September arrest of his brother, Pedro Guanipa, who was accused of corruption during his tenure at the mayor’s office in Maracaibo. Critics say the government is using the judiciary to eliminate political threats.
As Venezuela approaches another election marked by international scrutiny and internal discontent, the arrest of one of its most recognized opposition voices signals a continuing crackdown that has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations across the globe.
