Five Venezuelan dissidents rescued from the besieged Argentine embassy in Caracas have confirmed that their escape was the result of a covert operation orchestrated by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The dissidents—Pedro Urruchurtu, Magallí Meda, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, and Ómar González—are key allies of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has been in hiding for months. At a weekend press conference, the group praised the “precise operation” that secured their freedom and denounced claims that their release resulted from negotiations with the socialist regime of Nicolás Maduro.
The dissidents had been trapped inside the Argentine embassy for over a year after seeking refuge from Maduro’s “Bolivarian Fury” campaign, which has targeted political opponents with brutal crackdowns, baseless accusations of terrorism, and extrajudicial threats. A sixth dissident, Fernando Martínez Mottola, turned himself in to Maduro’s forces in December 2024 and later died in custody.
The rescue operation, reportedly named “Operation Guacamaya,” unfolded under heavy siege conditions. Maduro’s forces had surrounded the embassy, cutting off water and electricity, and subjecting the group to constant surveillance and harassment. According to Meda, Maduro’s regime had no role in their freedom, which she attributed solely to President Trump’s administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. She warned of the regime’s ongoing “state terrorism,” which she said threatens every Venezuelan.
Omar González described the mission as one of the most daring rescues in history, crediting its success to “bravery, coordination, and planning.” He described how Maduro’s elite forces, including armed units, drones, and dogs, sought to intimidate and possibly eliminate them. Pedro Urruchurtu, a leader in Venezuela’s center-right Vente Venezuela party, thanked Argentina and other nations for their support but warned that the Maduro regime continues to weaponize diplomacy, using embassies and international institutions for political extortion.
The dissidents’ appearance comes as Maduro’s regime escalates its persecution of opposition figures. Last Friday, the regime arrested Juan Pablo Guanipa, another close ally of Machado. Guanipa, who had been in hiding, was accused of leading a “network of terrorism” plotting attacks against government targets. His arrest followed a wave of detentions targeting Venezuelans and foreign nationals, with the regime alleging a plot against the nation’s fraudulent elections.
The dissidents’ daring escape and the continued repression of opposition figures highlight the growing crisis in Venezuela. The operation’s success underscores the vital role of international support—particularly from the Trump administration—in countering the socialist dictatorship’s reign of terror.
