The opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, continues to contest the results of last Sunday’s presidential election.
Thousands of people gathered in the streets of Venezuela’s capital Caracas on Saturday, waving the national flag and singing the national anthem to support the opposition candidate they say has won the presidential election handily.
Authorities declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of last Sunday’s election, but have not yet produced the vote count to prove it.
The government arrested hundreds of opposition supporters who took to the streets in the days following the disputed vote, and the president and his officials threatened to lock up opposition leader María Corina Machado and his presidential candidate, Edmundo González.
“After six days of brutal repression, they thought they were going to silence us, intimidate us or paralyze us”said María Corina Machado. “The presence of each of you here today represents the best of Venezuela.”
The opposition leader, who has been banned from running for office by Nicolás Maduro’s government for 15 years, had been in hiding since Tuesday, saying her life and freedom were under threat. Masked assailants ransacked the opposition headquarters on Friday, taking documents and vandalizing the space.
Pro-Maduro rally
Later in the day, thousands of government supporters gathered outside Nicolás Maduro’s office at the Miraflores National Palace.
In a long, rambling speech fueled by many cups of coffee, Nicolás Maduro shouted, whistled, sang and made jokes, moving from pop culture to religious references. He reiterated his threat to arrest and imprison other opponents, including Edmundo González, but also called for reconciliation and peace.
“There is room for everyone in Venezuela”he said, calling the country “blessed land of opportunity”.
