Mass Protests by Venezuelan Opposition Ahead of Nicolas Maduro's Inauguration Ceremony

One day before Nicolas Maduro's inauguration for his third presidential term, opposition parties and their supporters held protests across Venezuela on Thursday, January 10. In the controversial election on July 28, both the ruling party and the opposition claimed victory. Venezuelan electoral officials and the country's Supreme Court declared Maduro the winner, although, unusually, they did not release the details of the votes. The government, which accuses the opposition of plotting 'fascist schemes,' has warned that it will arrest Eduardo Gonzalez, the opposition leader and candidate, if he returns to the country. Maria Corina Machado, 57, the most popular opposition leader who was barred from running in the elections, emerged from hiding on Thursday to participate in the protests, where she was arrested. Machado had been in hiding since August, immediately after the controversial elections. She had urged protesters to gather peacefully in the streets and repeatedly called on the military and police to support Gonzalez. Earlier, several prominent opposition figures were also arrested ahead of Friday's ceremony. Meanwhile, the United Nations described reports of arbitrary arrests and intimidation of Maduro's opponents as concerning. Volker Turk, the UN's civil rights chief, expressed deep concern over reports, including those related to Carlos Correa, a prominent human rights activist, and the families of opposition members. The opposition claims that 75-year-old Eduardo Gonzalez won the election by a large margin. They have garnered support from many countries, including the United States, which has recognized Gonzalez as Venezuela's elected president. Following Maduro's declared victory in the elections, protesters took to the streets. On the other hand, 62-year-old Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power for 12 years, enjoys the support of military and security leaders. The government has deployed military and security forces in Caracas, particularly near the presidential palace known as 'Miraflores.' The ruling party is also expected to hold rallies in response to the opposition protests. Eduardo Gonzalez, who has traveled to several countries in recent days and met with U.S. President Joe Biden as well as Donald Trump's national security advisor, has repeatedly announced his determination to return to Venezuela but has not provided further details. Following Gonzalez's trip to Spain about a month after the elections, an arrest warrant was issued against him on charges of conspiracy. Machado is also under investigation in at least two cases by the Venezuelan Attorney General's office, but no public arrest warrant has been issued for her. The Attorney General's office claims that over 1,500 of the 2,000 detainees from the post-election protests, including minors, have been released in the past week. The severe government crackdown and the risk of protests going 'underground' are evident from the accounts of doctors and eyewitnesses regarding the injured during the protests.