Venezuela’s prime prosecutor stated on Monday (February 9, 2026) that his workplace had requested the arrest of one of many closest allies of opposition chief María Corina Machado, lower than 12 hours after his launch from a detention facility as a part of a authorities transfer to free these going through politically motivated accusations.
The lawyer common’s assertion didn’t say whether or not Juan Pablo Guanipa was rearrested or give a sign of his whereabouts. The federal government had launched him together with a number of different outstanding opposition members on Sunday (February 8) following prolonged politically motivated detentions.
Legal professional Common Tarek William Saab’s workplace posted on social media that it had “requested the competent court docket to revoke the precautionary measure granted to Mr. Guanipa, attributable to his non-compliance with the circumstances imposed by the aforementioned court docket.”
It didn’t elaborate on what circumstances Mr. Guanipa, a former governor for the opposition, violated in the course of the hours he was free, however stated authorities had been searching for home arrest.
Mr. Guanipa’s son, Ramón, informed reporters Monday (February 9) that authorities haven’t but notified him of his father’s whereabouts and their resolution to position him on home arrest. He stated his father didn’t violate the 2 circumstances of his launch — month-to-month check-ins with a court docket and no journey exterior Venezuela — and confirmed reporters the court docket doc itemizing them.
Earlier on Monday (February 9), Ms. Machado introduced Mr. Guanipa had been “kidnapped” by “closely armed males, wearing civilian garments” who “arrived in 4 automobiles and violently took him away” in a neighbourhood within the capital, Caracas.
The event marked the most recent twist within the political turmoil in Venezuela within the wake of the U.S. army’s seizure on Jan. 3 of Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, from a army base compound in Caracas in a shocking operation that landed them in New York to face federal drug trafficking fees.
The federal government of Venezuela’s appearing President Delcy Rodríguez has confronted mounting stress to free lots of of individuals whose detentions months or years in the past have been linked to their political actions. The releases additionally adopted a go to to Venezuela of representatives of the U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights.
Ms. Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s appearing president after Mr. Maduro’s January 3 seize, and her authorities started releasing prisoners days later.
A few of these freed on Sunday (February 8) joined households ready exterior detention amenities for his or her family members. They chanted “We aren’t afraid! We aren’t afraid!” and marched a brief distance.
“I’m satisfied that our nation has fully modified,” Mr. Guanipa informed reporters after his launch. “I’m satisfied that it’s now as much as all of us to deal with constructing a free and democratic nation.”
Mr. Guanipa had spent greater than eight months in custody at a facility in Caracas. “My father can’t be a prison … merely for making statements,” Ramón Guanipa stated. How for much longer will talking out be a criminal offense on this nation?”
Venezuelan-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal confirmed the discharge of at the very least 30 individuals on Sunday (February 8).
A number of members of Ms. Machado’s political organisation had been amongst these launched on Sunday (February 8), together with lawyer Perkins Rocha and native organiser María Oropeza, who had in 2024 livestreamed her arrest by army intelligence officers as they broke into her residence with a crowbar.
Alfredo Romero, president of Foro Penal, expressed critical concern over Juan Pablo Mr. Guanipa’s disappearance. “Up to now, we now have no clear details about who took him,” he stated on X. “We hope he might be launched instantly.”
Mr. Guanipa was detained in late Could and accused by Inside Minister Diosdado Cabello of taking part in an alleged “terrorist group” that was plotting to boycott that month’s legislative election. Mr. Guanipa’s brother Tomás rejected the accusation, and stated the arrest was meant to crack down on dissent.
Ms. Rodríguez’s authorities introduced Jan. 8 that it could free a major variety of these arrested — a central demand of the nation’s opposition and human rights organisations with backing from america — however households and rights watchdogs have criticised authorities for the sluggish tempo of the releases.
The ruling party-controlled Nationwide Meeting final week started debating an amnesty invoice that might result in the discharge of lots of. The opposition and nongovernmental organisations have reacted with cautious optimism in addition to with ideas and calls for for extra data on the contents of the proposal.
Nationwide Meeting President Jorge Rodríguez on Friday (February 6) posted a video on Instagram exhibiting him exterior a detention centre in Caracas and saying that “everybody” could be launched no later than subsequent week, as soon as the amnesty invoice is accepted.
Ms. Rodríguez, the appearing president, and Volker Türk, the U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke by cellphone in late January. His spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, in an announcement, stated he despatched a group to the nation and “supplied our assist to assist Venezuela work on a roadmap for dialogue and reconciliation”, through which human rights ought to be centred.
Revealed – February 09, 2026 11:42 pm IST