We must heal these wounds and rediscover ourselves as Venezuelans.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado confirmed on Wednesday the existence of a social movement in all regions of the country and of all ages, aimed at “liberation” but also redemption, because, she said, Venezuelans must heal their wounds and meet again

“This is a social movement… a movement for liberation but also for redemption, we have to heal these wounds and rediscover ourselves as Venezuelans,” he told media at an event in the Portuguese state of Portugal (center) in support of the campaign of Edmundo González Urrutia, the candidate of the largest anti-Chavez coalition, the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD).

Likewise, he condemned attempts to intimidate or persecute citizens of the Portuguese capital of Guanare from participating in their activities, but stressed that “the response of this society has been courageous and civil.”

He added that three trucks were “forcibly seized” and their drivers “detained”, as well as the event’s sound equipment “so that people don’t come, to scare the population”.

“But the opposite has happened, the situation has reversed, people are more outraged and the response is more determined, more decisive,” he said.

On Wednesday, Venezuelan police agents reserved the stage and sound system for Machado’s event in support of González Urrutia, according to his Venezuelan political party (VV), which also reported Chavismo threats against motorists and businessmen.

According to the group calling for an “end to the persecution”, the Chavista movement that supports Nicolás Maduro’s re-election in the July 28 presidential election is based on “violence”.

On Tuesday, the NGO Criminal Forum reported that the Venezuelan authorities have detained 102 people linked to the González Urrutia movement this year, adding today the former police officer and head of security for Machado’s team, Milciades Ávila, who was detained early this morning on suspicion of “gender violence against women” for “attempting to attack” anti-Chavistas and candidates last Saturday.

Of the 102 arrests, some for a few hours and some in prison to date, 77 have occurred since the official start of the July 4 movement, reflecting a “clear pattern of action against activists, militants and even collaborators or those who provided help” to González Urrutia and Machado, said Gonzalo Ximiob, director of the Criminal Forum.