Residents in Caracas are feeling the tense atmosphere ahead of Nicolás Maduro’s scheduled inauguration for a third presidential term. Opposition supporters continue to challenge this, hoping for the return of exiled opposition candidate Edmundo González, whom many Western and some Latin American countries consider the legitimate president.
Paula Navas, who resides in a Caracas neighborhood, noted increased repression since the elections, with unidentified individuals in police and military uniforms patrolling to intimidate citizens. The opposition called for mass protests to assert González’s electoral victory, with demonstrations in Caracas.
Navas remains hopeful that González, not Maduro, will become the new president. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, who supported González, was briefly detained during her first public appearance in months.
The electoral council declared Maduro the winner without evidence, amidst accusations of electoral fraud by the opposition, which claims González won 67% of the votes. Thousands protested the announced results, which were violently suppressed, resulting in at least 27 deaths and over 2000 arrests.
After the election, Maduro issued an arrest warrant for González, who sought refuge in the Dutch embassy in Caracas before fleeing to Spain. Recently, González met with international leaders, including outgoing U.S. President Biden, and expressed intentions to return to Venezuela, despite the standing arrest warrant.
Journalist Johana Osorio reports that Caracas has become heavily militarized, with police checkpoints throughout the city. She states that Maduro is distributing weapons to civilians in exchange for loyalty.
It remains unclear if and how González plans to return to Venezuela, amid speculation of potential threats to his safety. Demonstrator Navas continues to hope for a future without Maduro, striving for a better quality of life and dignity.
Source: NOS