Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa was kidnapped on Sunday by heavily armed men just hours after his release from prison.
His family and political allies accuse the government of responsibility, warning that the incident undermines recent prisoner releases and deepens fears of continued political repression.
Guanipa, the leader of the conservative Primero Justicia party, was among several high-profile political prisoners released on Sunday, in what as part of a broader effort by the government to respond to United States demands for the release of people detained for political reasons.
However, later the same night, Guanipa was seized in the Los Chorros neighbourhood of Caracas. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said he was taken by force by armed men arriving in multiple vehicles.
“Heavily armed men dressed in civilian clothes arrived in four vehicles and took him away by force,” Machado said in a statement shared on social media.
Machado, who is currently outside Venezuela, had earlier celebrated Guanipa’s release, describing him as a hero.
In a video posted online, Guanipa’s son, Ramón, said his father was attending an event at around 11:45pm when the incident occurred. He described the operation as sudden and violent.
“He was ambushed by approximately 10 agents who had no identification whatsoever,” Ramón said. “They pointed their guns at them, they were heavily armed, and they took my father.” He added that the family was demanding proof that Guanipa was still alive.
Guanipa’s political party, Primero Justicia, directly blamed senior figures in the Venezuelan leadership for the alleged abduction.
In a statement, the party said it held Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello responsible for any harm that might come to him.
The opposition leader had spent more than eight months in detention before his release on Sunday night.
Shortly after leaving the detention centre in Caracas, Guanipa posted a video message reflecting on his freedom and the political moment.
“Today we are being released. Much to discuss about the present and future of Venezuela, always with the truth at the forefront,” he said.
Guanipa was arrested in May 2025 following claims by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello that he was involved in an alleged terror plot linked to regional and legislative elections.
Those allegations were made without evidence, and Guanipa has consistently denied them.
Sunday’s releases included at least 30 political prisoners, according to the human rights group Foro Penal.
Its director, Alfredo Romero, said the organisation had confirmed the releases, which also included opposition figures Luis Somaza and Jesús Armas.
Another ally of Machado, lawyer Perkins Rocha, was also freed on Sunday, though his wife said he remains under strict restrictions.
Venezuela’s opposition and human rights organisations have long accused the government of using arbitrary arrests to suppress dissent.
Foro Penal estimates that hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars, despite the latest releases.
The government has repeatedly denied holding people for political reasons, insisting that those detained have committed crimes.
Officials have framed the recent releases as part of a broader amnesty process and a step towards national reconciliation.
The alleged kidnapping comes just days after National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez promised relatives of detainees that all detainees would be freed, saying the process would be completed by mid-February.
While the government claims hundreds have already been released, rights groups and families argue the pace has been slow.
For opposition figures, the disappearance of Guanipa has intensified fears that even freedom offers no protection, reinforcing concerns over safety, accountability, and the future of political opposition in Venezuela.
