María Corina Machado warns of the arrest of more than 30 people by Maduro’s “repressive forces”

The opposition leader of Venezuela María Corina Machado warned this Saturday of the arrest, in “the last hours”, of more than thirty people by “repressive forces of (Nicolás) Maduro”, who proclaimed himself as president for a third six years in power, after his questioned re-election granted by the electoral body, controlled by Chavismo.

“In the last few hours, more than 30 Venezuelans who were protesting this January 9 peacefully and organizedly were kidnapped by Maduro’s repressive forces,” said Machado on the social network X, where he indicated that these events were recorded in Caracas and 12 regions. of the country.

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The former deputy expressed that, in “its desperation and isolation, the only thing left for the (Chavista) regime is to attack brave citizens,” among them, she noted, members of teams linked to the largest opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD). ).

In that sense, he reported that Julio Balza, a journalist and member of his national communications team, was “kidnapped”; Manuel Muñoz, coordinator of Vente Joven – the party led by the former deputy – in Caracas; Noel Álvarez, head of the anti-Chavismo campaign command in the state of Miranda (north); and Zyad Naime, political secretary in Vente Yaracuy.

“Also Roalmi Cabeza, a young man who accompanied us on a motorcycle as I left the rally (on Thursday), (who) was shot and kidnapped. My heart goes out to them, to their families and friends. They are heroes. They will all be free. Venezuela will be free,” Machado added.

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Opposition parties warn of the increase in “persecution” and “arbitrary arrests” by the “regime” of Maduro, who was sworn in on Friday as president, with which, according to the PUD, the leader of Chavismo accomplished a “coup of State”.

The opposition coalition claims the electoral victory of its candidate in the July 28 elections, Edmundo González Urrutia, who stated this Friday that he is “very close” to his country, “ready for safe entry.”

Venezuelan Armed Forces reject US sanctions

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) of Venezuela expressed this Saturday its “most energetic and categorical rejection” of the sanctions announced the day before by the United States, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom, which denied legitimacy to the taking of possession of Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in on Friday as president for a third consecutive six-year term in power.

Through a statement – signed and shared on social networks by the head of the Strategic Operational Command (Ceofanb), Domingo Hernández Lárez -, the military institution expressed that it is a “desperate action” by the “infamous imperial brotherhood.” .

However, the Armed Forces assured that these sanctions, which they described as “crude maneuvers”, strengthen their “convictions of dignity, honor and self-determination” and fuel “the unwavering fight for freedom, sovereignty and independence” of Venezuela.

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On Friday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on eight Venezuelan officials whom it accuses of “repression”, such as the president of the state oil company PDVSA, Héctor Obregón, or the head of Transportation, Ramón Velásquez.

It also included Major General Manuel Castillo, second commander and chief of staff of Ceofanb; Danny Ferrer, vice minister of the Integrated Criminal Investigation System; to Major General José Figuera, commander of the Capital Comprehensive Defense Operational Zone (ZODI); and Félix Osorio, vice minister of Internal Policy and Legal Security.