Caracas, July 18: Less than two weeks before Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election, concerns over fairness have intensified following the arrest of Milciades Ávila, head of security for opposition leader María Corina Machado. This incident marks a troubling trend of detentions targeting opposition figures as Nicolás Maduro seeks a third term.
María Corina Machado, a prominent opposition voice, announced the detention of Ávila early on Wednesday in Caracas, July 18th, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on opposition activists and staff. Machado herself was recently barred from running due to alleged fraud violations, a decision she contests. Attempts to nominate a replacement were similarly blocked.
In response to Ávila’s arrest, retired diplomat Edmundo González, now leading in the polls as the opposition candidate, denounced the detention in a video message. Machado condemned Maduro’s regime, accusing it of resorting to violence and repression as campaign tactics.
Machado explained that Ávila, a trusted member of her team for the past decade, was accused of gender violence against individuals who allegedly attempted to attack González and her last Saturday. She asserted that the incident was a staged provocation aimed at compromising their security.
The Venezuelan NGO Foro Penal reported a total of 102 arrests this year alone of individuals associated with González’s campaign. Vice-president Gonzalo Himiob Santomé criticized these actions as part of a systematic effort to suppress political opposition.
“These arrests demonstrate a clear pattern of targeting activists, supporters, and those providing services to opposition leaders,” said Santomé. “It underscores a widespread scheme to restrict citizen participation aligned with María Corina Machado and Edmundo González’s political vision.”
The developments raise serious concerns about the integrity of Venezuela’s electoral process as the country approaches the 28th July election date.