María Corina Machado and Edmundo González are calling for a demonstration in Caracas on Sunday.

Next Sunday, December 1, La Castellana Plaza, a financial epicenter of Caracas, will become the stage for a demonstration called by El Comando con Venezuela, led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia. This event marks the first significant public mobilization since September, when the opposition had opted for more ephemeral and dispersed protest strategies under the label of “swarm mode.” However, the current circumstances, characterized by intense government repression and a growing wave of imprisonments of opposition leaders, demand a more forceful response.

During a virtual meeting with activists and opposition leaders, Machado emphasized the urgency of the situation. “We have to act now; this December 1 is going to be a unique, unprecedented protest, with our hands in red, with courage. The whole world will focus on the cause of a country that has decided to move forward to the end,” she stressed. With this slogan, they aim not only to mobilize citizens but also to attract international attention to the political crisis facing Venezuela.

The chosen slogan for the demonstration, “January 10 is now,” resonates strongly, as it refers to the day Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to assume a new presidential term, despite the controversies surrounding his re-election. The opposition, led by González, who is currently in exile after leaving the country in September, asserts that the victory belongs to him, supported by 83% of the official records collected by witnesses from his coalition.

Through this vigil, the opposition also seeks to give voice to the families of the more than 2,500 detainees who have been arrested in the context of protests against Maduro’s regime. The opposition’s strategy has changed in recent months, focusing on international denunciation of electoral fraud and pressuring the global community to recognize the suffering and injustices faced by Venezuelans.

Despite the government’s promises to review cases of detainees and to release a hundred of them, the situation remains critical. The pressure for the release of imprisoned adolescents and those affected by repression continues to be a hot topic in opposition discourse, which feels legitimized by the lack of transparency in electoral results.

The mobilization on Sunday presents itself as a bold challenge, not only for Maduro’s regime but also for the opposition. The ability to gather a significant number of protesters in a context of repression and fear could influence the future of political resistance in the country. Here, María Corina Machado stands as a symbol of the fight for democracy, while González, although still in exile, seeks to reaffirm his position as the legitimate leader of the opposition.

The international community, attentive to these movements, has begun to take a stance. Countries like the United States, Italy, and Ecuador have recognized González as “elected president,” adding a layer of pressure on the Maduro regime at a critical moment. The mobilization on December 1 also aims to remind these governments that the situation in Venezuela requires attention and action.

Finally, Sunday’s demonstration is framed not only as an expression of discontent but as an act of resistance and vindication. In a context where fear and repression have tried to silence the voice of the opposition, the call from Machado and González could be a decisive step toward reactivating the fight for democracy in Venezuela, marking the beginning of a new phase in this prolonged political crisis.