Venezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Pablo Guanipa Kidnapped Again

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has reported that prominent figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was forcibly abducted by armed men shortly after his release from detention. This incident has heightened concerns regarding the safety of political opponents in Venezuela. Guanipa, a leader of the centre-right Justice First party and former vice-president of the National Assembly, was taken in the Los Chorros neighbourhood of the capital, Caracas, on Sunday.

In a message shared on social media, Machado stated that heavily armed men in civilian clothing arrived in four vehicles and forcibly removed Guanipa. His release had occurred just hours earlier, after he spent eight months in prison. According to the Venezuelan human rights organization Foro Penal, Guanipa was among several political prisoners released on Sunday. His family celebrated his return, with his son, Ramón, expressing hope for a reunion.

The Justice First party condemned the incident, stating that Guanipa was kidnapped by what they termed the “repressive forces of the dictatorship.” They reported that witnesses indicated weapons were pointed at Guanipa and those accompanying him before he was taken away. The party held senior government officials, including Delcy Rodríguez, Jorge Rodríguez, and Diosdado Cabello, accountable for Guanipa’s safety and urged the international community to advocate for his immediate release.

Guanipa, who won the governorship of Venezuela’s oil-rich Zulia region in 2017, was denied the opportunity to take office after refusing to pledge allegiance to the pro-government National Constituent Assembly. Following accusations of terrorism and treason in response to his challenge of the 2024 election results, he went into hiding. Security forces captured him in May 2025.

The recent kidnapping has intensified fears among opposition groups and human rights organizations. They assert that the administration of President Nicolás Maduro has a long history of employing detentions and intimidation to silence dissent. The Venezuelan authorities have not publicly addressed the allegations surrounding Guanipa’s abduction.

As the situation unfolds, advocates for human rights are calling for urgent international attention to the deteriorating safety of political figures in Venezuela, highlighting the ongoing struggle against systemic persecution of opposition leaders.