Venezuela opposition hopes to sabotage Maduro's inauguration
he opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, said he will return to Venezuela to assume the presidency on the day Nicolas Maduro's inauguration is scheduled. The Chavista regime says he will be arrested, but anti-Maduro forces have been called to protest en masse.The trip had all the hallmarks of a presidential visit. On January 6, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was received by U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House. This marked the third leg of the Venezuelan opposition candidate's international tour, following visits to Argentina and Uruguay.
While Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro prepares for his inauguration to a third consecutive term on January 10, his rival continued to claim victory in the July 28 presidential election. The former diplomat is going even further: he insisted he will be in Venezuela on the day of the inauguration to assume office.
His allies, led by Maria Corina Machado, echoed his determination: “On January 10, we’ll make them pay for the election,” Machado declared. “It’s as if, since the election, the opposition has frozen the situation in anticipation of this pivotal January 10,” observed Benigno Alarcon, director of the Center for Political Studies at Andrés Bello Catholic University.The problem is that neither Edmundo Gonzalez nor his supporters have explained how they plan to enforce the victory they claim to have achieved at the polls. “Returning to Venezuela is possible. But is Edmundo Gonzalez ready to take the risks?” Alarcon asked. Highlighting the pressure surrounding him, Gonzalez denounced the “kidnapping” of his son-in-law by masked men in Caracas, January 7.Meanwhile, Maduro remains the occupant of Miraflores Palace, the residence of the Venezuelan head of state, and the few protests violently suppressed in the wake of the election failed to oust him. Since then, Gonzalez, facing an arrest warrant, has been forced into exile in Spain.
At the end of November 2024, Diosdado Cabello, the Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, displayed handcuffs on television, claiming they were ready for the 75-year-old candidate. On Monday, Cabello reiterated: “If he sets foot in Venezuela, he will be arrested and tried.”Despite the apparent stalemate, the opposition remained hopeful. “We won the election, exposed the fraud, and continue to apply pressure to bring about change,” insisted Tomas Arias Castillo, co-founder of the Vente Venezuela party alongside Maria Corina Machado. “The opposition no longer carries the burden of illegitimacy.” The population, it seems, has not lost faith in the opposition’s ability to act. “Our studies show that Venezuelans’ expectations remain high, and they continue to support the opposition,” Alarcon said.The researcher outlined another possible scenario: the arrest of Gonzalez, who, unlike Juan Guaido (the opposition leader who declared himself president in 2019 and was recognized as interim president by the United States), derives his legitimacy from the vote. This could trigger significant protests. “I have no doubt Venezuelans will do their part,” added Tomas Arias Castillo. Machado has called on her supporters to mobilize January 9. Her rhetoric has become more combative in recent months: “Go out, shout, fight (...). Change will not come by standing still.”
The military’s role could prove decisive. Gonzalez called on the armed forces to side with him. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino responded: “We categorically and vehemently reject this clownish and ridiculous act.”
