Rival groups gathered in Venezuela’s capital Caracas on the eve of President Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration for a third term on Friday, with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado making a rare public appearance.

Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was detained at a march in Caracas on Thursday in her first public appearance in months and her ally, former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, demanded she be freed immediately.

Venezuela’s popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was detained during an anti-government protest in Caracas on Thursday, according to a statement on X by her party, Vente Venezuela. Ms. Machado had been living in hiding amid threats of arrest from government officials, and this was her first public appearance since August.

Maria Corina Machado was arrested while leaving a protest march, local media and party officials report. The opposition is back on the streets on the eve of Nicolas Maduro being sworn in for a third term.

The United Nations has expressed its alarm after it received reports of arbitrary detentions and intimidation in Venezuela ahead of opposition marches on Thursday. The office of the UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, wrote on X that "now is the time to work to ease tensions and reduce the risk of more violence".

People took to the streets of Venezuela's capital Thursday seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro's attempt to cling to power despite credible evidence that he lost last summer's election. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was arrested when her motorcycle convoy was intercepted by security forces as it departed an anti-government protest,

Aides to Maria Corina Machado say the Venezuela opposition leader has been arrested when her convoy was intercepted by security forces as it departed an anti-government protest in Caracas.