Leader of Venezuelan opposition calls for protests to force Maduro to step down

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has called on her supporters to protest across the country next Thursday, stating that President Nicolas Maduro “will not step down voluntarily.”
In a recorded message, Machado urged the people to take to the streets and demand Maduro’s departure, emphasizing the need to harness the people’s power to achieve this. Machado, who had been in hiding to avoid arrest, confirmed that she would participate in the protests.
Her call comes after the government confirmed its intention to arrest retired diplomat Edmund González, who claims to have defeated Maduro in the recent elections. Meanwhile, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez has called on Maduro to assume a third presidential term in January 2025, following his victory in the elections held last July.

Source: Associated Press