Venezuelan Opposition Figure Guanipa Placed Under House Arrest Hours After Prison Release

Juan Pablo Guanipa, a key ally of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, has been placed under house arrest just hours after his release from prison, triggering fresh outrage over continued repression of political opponents in the country.

Guanipa, a former vice president of the National Assembly, was freed on Sunday after spending more than eight months in detention on charges commonly brought against government critics, including terrorism, money laundering and inciting violence. His release followed a pledge by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after the ousting of former president Nicolás Maduro in a deadly U.S. military raid in January.

During his brief period of freedom, the 61-year-old met relatives of other political prisoners, joined a motorcycle caravan through Caracas, chanted slogans outside the notorious Helicoide detention centre and called for new elections.

However, he was re-arrested only hours later, with prosecutors claiming he had violated the conditions of his parole.

The move sparked strong reactions. Machado described the action as a “kidnapping,” while a U.S. congresswoman warned of “grave consequences” if any harm came to him.

On Tuesday, Guanipa’s son, Ramón, confirmed on social media that his father had been transferred to house arrest in Maracaibo, in northwestern Venezuela. He thanked the United States for its support for democracy in the country but insisted that house arrest still amounted to imprisonment.

“My father remains unjustly imprisoned. House arrest is still imprisonment, and we demand his full freedom and that of all political prisoners,” he wrote.

Guanipa’s re-detention has sent shockwaves through Venezuela’s opposition movement and comes as the National Assembly prepares to debate an amnesty bill for political detainees and officials responsible for abuses during the 27-year rule of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

Although the interim government has worked with the United States, including reopening access to Venezuela’s oil sector and releasing some detainees, families and rights groups say the process has been slow and insufficient.

On Tuesday, around 40 relatives of political prisoners protested outside the National Assembly, chanting “Amnesty now!” and demanding immediate passage of the bill.

According to the human rights group Foro Penal, at least 426 detainees have been released since prison releases began following Maduro’s removal. However, activists warn that continued arrests and re-detentions, such as Guanipa’s case, show that political repression in Venezuela remains deeply entrenched.