Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Venezuelan opposition leaders Friday and expressed strong support for their cause amid South American dictator Nicolas Maduro’s latest crackdown on political dissent.
“Honored to meet with the brave Venezuelan opposition leaders who were targets of Maduro’s repression and tyranny,” the top US diplomat wrote on X. “Their courage inspires all working towards more democratic futures, especially following the arbitrary arrest of [Juan Pablo Guanipa] and over 70 individuals.
“The U.S. will not waver in our support for Venezuelans’ fighting for democracy and the safe return of all wrongfully detained Americans.”
Guanipa, a top ally of jailed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, was arrested by the Maduro regime early Friday morning.
His arrest comes ahead of regional elections in Venezuela scheduled for Sunday, which the ruling government has accused the opposition of trying to sabotage.
“We are dismantling a terrorist and conspiracy network against our country, the elections, and the peace of our people,” Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state-run television, announcing Guanipa’s arrest and dozens of others, according to the Miami Herald.
Anticipating his detainment, Guanipa declared that he may be “unjustly imprisoned, but never defeated” in a pre-recorded message released by the anti-Maduro camp after his arrest..
“Brothers and sisters, if you are seeing this, it is because I have been kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro’s regime,” the former first vice president of Venezuela’s parliament said. “For months, I, like many Venezuelans, have been in hiding to maintain my safety.”
“Regrettably, my time in hiding has come to an end. As of today, I am part of the list of Venezuelans kidnapped by the dictatorship.”
The five opposition figures Rubio met with in Washington were rescued from the authoritarian state earlier this month in a “precise operation” that brought them to US soil.
They had been living in the Argentine ambassador’s residence in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas since March 2024 under threat of arrest if they were to leave.
“The Secretary commended these leaders for their bravery in the face of Maduro’s relentless repression and tyranny,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “[Rubio] expressed his gratitude to all involved in this operation and recognized the tenacity of Maria Corina Machado who remains in Venezuela.”
The US is among several nations that consider Maduro’s leadership of Venezuela illegitimate, citing overwhelming evidence that opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia garnered far more votes than the dictator in last year’s presidential election.
