Venezuelan authorities have arrested prominent opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa on charges of leading a terrorist plot, the country’s Interior Minister announced Friday. Guanipa, a close associate of opposition leader María Corina Machado, is also facing charges of money laundering and inciting hatred.
Guanipa, 60, had been in hiding since Venezuela’s presidential election last July, which resulted in the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro. According to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Guanipa was allegedly involved in organizing attacks aimed at disrupting the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday.
Authorities have arrested at least 70 individuals this past week in connection with the alleged plot, including 17 foreign nationals. The arrests come amid heightened tensions as the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) seeks to retain its supermajority in the National Assembly, where it currently holds 253 out of 285 seats.
Following the 2023 presidential election, opposition figures denounced the results, claiming widespread fraud. Many, including presidential candidate Edmundo González—widely viewed as a stand-in for the barred Machado—fled the country, with González reportedly taking refuge in Spain. Machado and other high-profile opposition figures also vanished from public view as the Maduro government launched a renewed crackdown.
The Maduro government has consistently accused the opposition of conspiring with foreign powers, particularly the United States, which has refused to recognize Maduro’s presidency since 2018. Washington continues to regard Edmundo González as Venezuela’s "president-elect."
Despite Machado’s call for a nationwide boycott of the parliamentary elections, several other opposition parties and candidates are participating. However, analysts suggest that unless the opposition secures a significant victory, the results are unlikely to be recognized by Western governments, which continue to advocate for regime change in Caracas.
Earlier this month, Maduro signed a strategic partnership agreement with Russia during a visit to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations on May 9. The deal underscores Venezuela's continued alignment with anti-Western powers amid growing international isolation.