Venezuelan opposition leader Guanipa re-arrested hours after release

Prominent Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was detained late Sunday by heavily armed men, only hours after being freed from prison, according to his family and political allies.

Supporters described the incident as a “kidnapping,” accusing authorities in Caracas of orchestrating the operation. Venezuela’s public prosecutor’s office later said it had requested that Guanipa be placed under house arrest, alleging he violated the conditions of his release.

Guanipa, leader of the conservative Primero Justicia party, was among several high-profile political detainees released on Sunday as part of a move seen as an attempt by Caracas to meet United States demands following the removal of former strongman Nicolás Maduro.

However, the 61-year-old politician was reportedly seized later that night in the Los Chorros area of Caracas. Opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado said armed men in civilian clothing arrived in multiple vehicles and took Guanipa away by force.

Guanipa’s son, Ramón, said his father was ambushed at a late-night gathering by about 10 unidentified agents who were heavily armed. He said the family is demanding proof that Guanipa is alive.

Primero Justicia accused top government officials of responsibility for the incident, warning that they would be held accountable for any harm that comes to Guanipa.

Guanipa had spent more than eight months in detention before his release earlier on Sunday. Shortly after leaving the detention center, he posted a video online saying there was much to discuss about Venezuela’s present and future, adding that truth must remain central.

He was arrested in May 2025 after authorities accused him, without publicly presenting evidence, of involvement in an alleged plot to disrupt regional and legislative elections—claims he has consistently denied.

Machado had earlier celebrated his release, calling him a hero and praising his resilience.

Another opposition figure and Machado ally, lawyer Perkins Rocha, was also freed on Sunday, though under strict conditions, according to his wife. Human rights group Foro Penal confirmed that at least 30 political prisoners were released that day, including opposition members Luis Somaza and activist Jesús Armas.

Opposition groups and rights organizations have long accused Venezuela’s government of using arbitrary detention to silence critics, estimating that hundreds of political prisoners remain incarcerated. Authorities deny holding prisoners for political reasons, insisting those detained have committed crimes.

The releases follow a pledge by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez that all political detainees would be freed by mid-February, alongside moves toward an amnesty bill described by officials as a step toward national reconciliation.

While the government claims hundreds have been released in recent weeks, rights groups argue the process has been slow and uneven, with significant discrepancies between official figures and independent counts.