Venezuela opposition figure kidnapped hours after release from prison

Published February 9, 2026 12:12am ET



Venezuelan politician Juan Pablo Guanipa has been kidnapped by “heavily armed men” in Caracas, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado announced on Sunday night.

“URGENT INTERNATIONAL ALERT. Just a few minutes ago, Juan Pablo Guanipa was kidnapped in the Los Chorros urbanization in Caracas. Heavily armed men, dressed in civilian clothes, arrived in 4 vehicles and violently took him away. We demand his immediate release,” Machado posted on X.

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