Venezuelans Stage First Nationwide Protest in Nearly Two Years, Thousands Demand Election Date
CARACAS — Venezuelan streets saw something on October 22 not witnessed in nearly two years: thousands of demonstrators marched in cities across the country demanding free elections, in the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years.
Protests took place in the capital Caracas as well as Valencia, Maracay, San Cristobal and Maracaibo. The organizer was the Vente Venezuela movement of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado.
Since U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January, the United States has worked closely with the interim government led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Both President Donald Trump and Rodríguez have said there will be elections, but no date has been set for either a legislative vote or a presidential contest. Machado, who has been outside the country for nearly a year after living in hiding following the contested 2024 election, has said elections must take place by July 2027.
Leosmary Hernández, an 18-year-old cosmetology student marching with hundreds of others in northern Maracay, said: "Seeing this makes me happy because I know change is possible. I've been through so many hardships, so many problems... I have high hopes for my country and for our next leader, president, Maria Corina."
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加拉加斯 Torre América 大楼（资料图）。Wilfredor 摄，CC0，经维基共享资源（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: The Torre América building in Caracas (file photo). By Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
