Nicolás Maduro completes electoral fraud and swears in for third term

The Venezuelan opposition leader assured that her kidnapping and subsequent release by the regime demonstrates the existing contradictions within Chavismo. The opposition leader also spoke about the return of Edmundo González Urrutia to Venezuela and stated that she asked him not to enter the country until the "right moment" arrives.

The United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union also announced sanctions against regime officials after Nicolás Maduro consummated the electoral fraud and was sworn in for a third term.

Among the sanctions by the European Union is the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Caryslia Rodriguez. Other officials of the highest Venezuelan court are included on the list: Fanny Beatriz Márquez Cordero, vice-president of the TSJ and of the Electoral Chamber; Inocencio Antonio Figueroa Arizaleta, magistrate of the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ, and Malaquías Gil Rodríguez, president of the Political-Administrative Chamber of the TSJ.

In the case of Canada, 14 officials have been sanctioned.

Human rights defenders reported on Friday that at least 42 people have been arrested "for political purposes" in Venezuela since January 7, just ahead of the inauguration of leftist President Nicolás Maduro.

"In January alone we have verified, so far, 49 arrests for political purposes, 42 since Jan. 7. And they continue," reported Alfredo Romero, president of the NGO Foro Penal, which documents political detentions in Venezuela, in a post on X.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to the situation in Venezuela and argued that Nicolás Maduro lost the election in the Caribbean country. "He has no right to claim the presidency today. We stand ready to support a return to democracy in Venezuela," he wrote on X.

The Treasury Department announced a package of sanctions against eight Venezuelan officials who head key economic and security agencies that facilitate Nicolás Maduro's repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela.

Among those sanctioned are the president of Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PdVSA), Venezuela's state-owned oil company, and Maduro's minister of transportation and president of Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos (CONVIASA), the state-owned airline.

"In addition, OFAC is sanctioning high-level Venezuelan officials in the military and police who lead entities with roles in carrying out Maduro’s repression and human rights abuses against democratic believers," the Treasury said. 

Dictator Nicolás Maduro arrived at the National Assembly to be sworn in as president despite the fact that he is not recognized by the majority of the international community. Maduro carried out the inauguration ceremony despite the fact that the electoral body has not shown the records of the election results, while the Venezuelan opposition has shown evidence that Edmundo González Urrutia won with more than 60% of the votes.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, assured that Edmundo González Urrutia won the election in Venezuela. He maintained that Nicolás Maduro, an ally of Iran, must respect the popular will expressed by Venezuelans in the July 28 elections.

Also, the minister expressed concern over the persecution by the Venezuelan regime and noted that the international community must act to restore democracy in Venezuela. "Israel expresses concern over the political persecution and arbitrary arrests by the regime and joins the call of many in the international community to restore freedom and democracy in Venezuela," he said on X.

Sa'ar's comments came just minutes after world leaders such as Georgia Meloni, president of Italy's Council of Ministers, ratified that they will not recognize Nicolás Maduro as president even if he is sworn in on Jan. 10. Meloni stressed that a peaceful transition must be promoted in Venezuela.

Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the Venezuelan regime's channel, reported that Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz Canel arrived in Venezuela to support his peer Nicolás Maduro in the inauguration. Earlier it was learned that the president of the Russian DUMA also traveled to the Caribbean country for the event.

The governor of the Venezuelan state of Táchira, Freddy Bernal, announced that the border with Colombia will remain closed until 5 a.m. on Monday morning. Bernal claimed there is an "international conspiracy to disturb the peace of Venezuelans and this zone in particular."

The border closure, ordered from Miraflores Palace, takes place hours before the next president is due to take office. The Constitution indicates Jan. 10 as the date for presidential inaugurations.

After her kidnapping and subsequent release, María Corina Machado published a statement in which she expresses her pride for the Venezuelan people and thanks the support of those who took to the streets to defend democracy. “Today, the brave people showed how to overcome fear,” the opposition leader said. Machado assured she was “in a safe place and with more determination than ever” to continue fighting for Venezuela's freedom.

The leader also stated that tomorrow she will offer more details about what happened, reaffirming her commitment to continue until the end. “Venezuela will be free, Glory to the brave people,” she concluded in her message.

The Comando con Venezuela claimed that journalist Julio Balza, who is part of María Corina Machado's team, has disappeared. According to the statement, Balza was last seen this afternoon, and since then his whereabouts are unknown.

Nicolás Maduro's illegitimate Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, launched strong accusations against Machado, whom he accused of faking “a disastrous psychological operation.” Saab, a key figure of Chavismo, claims that Machado tried to “unleash acts of violence” in critical moments.

The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, commented on the situation in Venezuela, qualifying Nicolás Maduro's regime as a dictatorship. “From the political left, I tell you that the government of Nicolás Maduro is a dictatorship and we have to make all international efforts for democracy to be restored,” Boric said.

El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, shared a screenshot of the weather in Caracas on his social media, raising questions about the purpose of his message.

Entrepreneur and owner of X, Elon Musk, showed interest in the situation in Venezuela by reacting to the news of the kidnapping of Maria Corina Machado.

Venezuela's president-elect, Edmundo González, expressed his gratitude to Trump for his words of support for the democratic struggle in Venezuela. Through his social media, González stated: “Thank you, President-elect Trump! We Venezuelans know that we can count on your determination for the Venezuelan cause.”

The US president-elect, Donald Trump, reacted to recent events in Venezuela, stressing the importance of protecting opposition leaders and protesters who are standing up to Nicolás Maduro's regime. “These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!” he stated.

Colombian Senator María Fernanda Cabal through her social media stated that tomorrow she will travel to the Venezuelan border together with her party, the Democratic Center. Cabal highlighted that her visit aims to support “the brave people who will defeat the dictator Maduro.”

The president-elect of Venezuela made a statement through his social media on the events related to the kidnapping and subsequent release of Machado. González described the event as “very serious” and warned that the fact that Machado is now free does not reduce the seriousness of what happened. “She was kidnapped under violent conditions,” he stressed.

While international figures and former Colombian presidents such as Álvaro Uribe, Juan Manuel Santos and Iván Duque have strongly condemned the incident and demanded explanations from the regime of Nicolás Maduro, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, chose to dismiss the allegations as part of the “world of fake news.”

María Corina Machado's National Campaign Command reported that the Venezuelan opposition leader was intercepted and taken by force while she was riding a motorcycle after participating in a rally in Chacao, Caracas. According to the statement, the incident included gunshots, and during her capture, Machado was forced to record several videos.
Machado was released shortly thereafter. Her team confirmed that in the coming hours she will address the country to explain the details of what happened.

Journalists and public figures have begun to report about the possible release of María Corina Machado. The news, still without official confirmation, has generated hope and concern both among her followers and the international community, which demands proof of life and clarity on her current condition.

After learning of Machado's kidnapping, several personalities have called for the release of the opposition leader. Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar stated that "if you attack María Corina Machado, we the United States will attack you."

President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia called for the release of the Venezuelan opposition leader. "To the security forces that kidnapped her I say: don't play with fire," Gonzalez wrote on X.

The Comando con Venezuela stated that María Corina Machado was kidnapped as she was leaving the demonstration in Caracas.


"She was violently intercepted as she was leaving the rally in Chacao. We hope to confirm her situation in a few minutes. Regime personnel fired at the motorcycles that were transporting her," the Comando con Venezuela wrote on X.

Opposition leader, María Corina Machado, came out of hiding and met with Venezuelans at the demonstration in Caracas. From there, she stated that "now comes the good" and that people must be attentive to the "signs of the coming hours." She emphasized that whatever Maduro does on January 10 "marks the end of the regime."

Venezuelans filled the streets to support opposition leader María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia. A large number of people in several Venezuelan states were seen on social media backing the opposition's call despite the heavy security deployment imposed by Nicolas Maduro's regime.

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, spoke with opposition leader María Corina Machado in a phone call. Following the conversation, Joly stated on her X account that Canada recognizes Edmundo González Urrutia as the winner of the elections in Venezuela.

Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, thanked Venezuelans for attending the call for rallies throughout the country and the world.

"The brave people already in the streets of the world! We will also meet throughout Venezuela, with serenity, with firmness and with the same energy that we went out on July 28 to win. Let's all go," Machado posted on social media.

The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, met with Edmundo González Urrutia, the president-elect of Venezuela, who is in the country ahead of his planned return to Venezuela to assume office in Caracas. 

"We will all see each other very soon in Caracas in freedom," said González Urrutia at an event in Santo Domingo with President Luis Abinader, who expressed his support for him.

Officers of the Bolivarian National Guard suppressed a protest in Valencia, Carabobo state. Local media reported that the protest was primarily composed of elderly individuals.

In Venezuela's capital, Caracas, people took to the streets chanting 'Gloria al bravo pueblo' (Glory to the brave people), referencing the country's national anthem. The demonstration unfolded amidst heavy militarization in the city.

Venezuelans began to demonstrate in several cities, despite the Maduro regime’s militarization of areas where the opposition had called for protests. Videos shared on social media show people responding to the call of opposition leader María Corina Machado and president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia.

Protests were held in several cities, including Amsterdam (Netherlands), Kobe (Japan), and Dresden, calling for the return of democracy in Venezuela. Comando Con Venezuela shared images of these global demonstrations.

The speaker of the House of Representatives emphasized in a press release the need to restore democracy in Venezuela. He shared that during his meeting with Edmundo González Urrutia, the president-elect of Venezuela, they discussed the regional threat posed by Nicolás Maduro's regime.
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​“I am eager to begin working with the incoming Trump administration to confront all those who terrorize and intimidate the people of Venezuela, and ensure Congress is ready to support democracy in Venezuela and uphold America’s interests in the region,” Johnson said. 

Venezuelans are preparing to protest against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, demanding that Edmundo González Urrutia be sworn in as president of Venezuela. According to the Constitution, January 10 is the designated date for the president to take office.


This year, however, the date is marked by uncertainty. Nicolás Maduro insists on taking office again despite failing to provide the electoral records from the last elections held on January 10, as well as the contested July 28 elections, which have not been recognized by much of the international community. In contrast, Edmundo González Urrutia has presented evidence showing at least 85% of the votes in his favor, with a voter turnout of 65%, supporting his claim to the presidency.


Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado has called for nationwide protests and urged the over 8 million Venezuelans abroad to join demonstrations in various countries. González Urrutia’s campaign team argues that the future of democratic stability in the Western Hemisphere hinges on Venezuela's fate.

"I cannot guarantee the day or the hour, it may be before, during or after January 10, but it is going to happen. That tyranny is going to leave and Venezuela is going to be free,” said Maria Corina Machado in a recent press conference.