A group of five Venezuelan activists, part of the team of opposition leader María Corina Machado and president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, met this Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after being rescued from a prolonged confinement in the Argentine Embassy in Caracas. The freed individuals expressed deep gratitude to the United States for leading the operation that ended their captivity.
The opposition members, who had been trapped in a diplomatic facility turned into a prison by Nicolás Maduro’s regime, emphasized the significance of their release. “This act is both a humanitarian and political victory that reinforces the democratic will expressed by Venezuelans in the July 28, 2024 elections, where Edmundo González Urrutia was legitimately elected president,” they stated.
The rescued individuals —Magallí Meda, Pedro Urruchurtu, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, and Omar González Moreno, along with a tribute to their late colleague Fernando Martínez Mottola— praised the courage and precision of the operation that secured their freedom. In a joint statement, they declared: “The bravery of Secretary Rubio and the firm support of President Donald Trump made this milestone possible. The United States stands as a pillar of freedom in our region.”
Rubio, who called the activists “brave defenders of democracy,” played a key role in bringing attention to their plight and coordinating international efforts for their release. He described the operation as a “successful rescue of individuals held by the Maduro regime,” made possible through careful coordination with global partners.
Nicknamed “Las Guacamayas” —a nod to the vibrant parrots that soar through Caracas’ skies— the opposition members endured over a year of isolation in the embassy without access to basic services such as water, electricity, or medicine. The parrots, which often visited the embassy and were fed by the asylum seekers, became a symbol of their struggle and perseverance.
“This rescue shows that oppression is not invincible and that freedom can prevail,” said one of the freed activists. While the details of the operation remain classified for security reasons, the activists stressed that their liberation underscores Machado’s and her team’s commitment to never abandon political prisoners, with the hope that Venezuela will soon achieve full freedom.
The meeting in Washington strengthened ties between the United States and the fight for a democratic Venezuela. “Supporting us means standing in solidarity with all Venezuelans persecuted for defending the truth, with the political prisoners who still suffer, and with the cause of freedom across the Americas,” one of the freed individuals affirmed.
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