Less than two weeks before Venezuela’s presidential election, the head of security for key opposition figure María Corina Machado has been arrested, intensifying concerns about the fairness of the election on July 28, when Nicolás Maduro seeks a third term.

Machado, who was barred from running due to alleged fraud violations she denies, revealed on X that her security chief, Milciades Ávila, was detained on Wednesday.

This arrest follows a series of detentions of opposition activists and staffers, The Guardian has reported.

With Machado unable to run, the opposition now supports retired diplomat Edmundo González, who leads the polls and condemned Ávila’s “arbitrary detention.”

Machado accused Maduro of using violence and repression in his campaign.

Written by B.C. Begley