World · Venezuela
Venezuelans demand elections in first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years
Thousands joined demonstrations demanding elections and political changes. Neither Donald Trump nor interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has set an election date.
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Venezuelans called for elections and political reforms as the opposition demonstrated across the country for the first time in almost two years.
- Trump and Rodriguez have not set an election date.
- Machado wants elections by July 2027.
- Her movement is excluded from US-backed institutional reform talks.
- Foro Penal reports political prisoners; the government denies holding them.
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What's new
- Thousands took part as the opposition staged protests across Venezuela for the first time in almost two years.
- Demonstrators demanded free elections and the release of people held for political reasons.
- US-backed institutional reform talks exclude Maria Corina Machado's movement.
Thousands of Venezuelans joined opposition demonstrations demanding free elections and political changes on October 22, with gatherings in Caracas, Maracay and other locations, according to Reuters. The protests were the opposition's first nationwide mobilisation in nearly two years.1234
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No election date
The demonstrations come as the United States works closely with the interim government headed by Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez and US President Donald Trump have both said elections will take place, but neither has announced a date. Trump said last month that considering elections was premature.123
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has called for elections no later than July 2027. She has spent nearly a year outside Venezuela after going into hiding following the disputed 2024 election. Her political movement is not participating in the US-backed negotiations on changes to the country's top court and electoral council.123
Those talks seek to reshape the two institutions to secure fair conditions for an eventual election. The Straits Times reported on October 22 that the latest negotiating session had taken place. An election timetable remains unannounced despite the discussions over the bodies that would help oversee the process.123
Demonstrations and detainees
The Hindu and The Jerusalem Post also reported opposition gatherings in Valencia, San Cristobal and Maracaibo. In Caracas, the ruling Socialist Party called its supporters to march from Plaza Venezuela towards the presidential palace for breast cancer awareness month. Opposition supporters shifted their gathering to a nearby site.123
Demonstrators also sought the release of people they said were imprisoned for political reasons. The legal rights group Foro Penal says more than 320 political prisoners remain in Venezuela. The government denies holding political prisoners and describes its amnesty law as generous.123
Among those attending in Maracay was Leosmary Hernandez, an 18-year-old cosmetology student, The Straits Times reported. “I’m even less afraid today because I want my voice to be heard,” she told the newspaper.1
The disputed vote
Vote tallies released by the opposition indicated that Machado's proxy won the 2024 presidential election. The government did not publish complete counts and supported Nicolas Maduro's victory claim, as did Venezuela's legal and electoral institutions. Machado was briefly detained during protests surrounding Maduro's third inauguration in January 2025.123
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, now face drug and torture charges in the United States. Both have pleaded not guilty.123
Why it matters
For readers in Europe following Venezuela's political transition, the demonstrations highlight demands for elections while their timing remains unresolved. US-backed talks concern the institutions responsible for electoral fairness, but Machado's movement is excluded.123
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