Venezuelan Opposition Leader Emerges to Protest Maduro's Disputed Inauguration

Maria Corina Machado joins anti-Maduro demonstrations as Nicolás Maduro prepares for a contested third term amid allegations of electoral fraud.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, in hiding since the disputed July election, appeared at protests in Caracas against Nicolás Maduro's upcoming inauguration.
The opposition claims its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won the election with over 67% of the vote, while the government declared Maduro the winner without releasing voting tallies.
The disputed election has led to widespread protests, with security forces arresting over 2,000 people, including opposition figures and foreign nationals accused of plotting against Maduro.
The United Nations and several countries, including the United States, have expressed support for González as the legitimate president-elect, while Maduro retains backing from allies like Russia and Cuba.
Maduro's government has heightened security in Caracas, deploying troops and pro-government militias, as both pro- and anti-Maduro demonstrations take place ahead of his planned swearing-in.