The revolving door of political persecution in Venezuela has spun once again, with a prominent opposition leader kidnapped by armed men just moments after tasting freedom.

In a chilling development that exposes the fragile nature of justice in post-Maduro Venezuela, Juan Pablo Guanipa has been abducted. The leader of the Justice First party was snatched from the streets of Caracas barely hours after being released from an eight-month detention. The incident has sent a terrifying message to the opposition: you can be released, but you are never truly free.

Maria Corina Machado, the indomitable opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize winner, broke the news to the world. She detailed a military-style extraction in the Los Chorros neighborhood, where heavily armed men in civilian clothes—the hallmark of state-sponsored paramilitaries—intercepted Guanipa. "They arrived in four vehicles and took him away by force," she reported, her statement underscoring the lawlessness that still grips the capital.

A False Dawn for Freedom

Guanipa’s release earlier that Sunday was supposed to be a milestone. He was among 30 political prisoners freed in a gesture of goodwill by the interim administration following the US intervention that removed Nicolás Maduro in January. His family had begun to celebrate; his son, Ramón, had posted a jubilant message online: "Our entire family will be able to hug again soon."

That hope was extinguished by midnight. The joy turned to horror as Ramón was forced to post a proof-of-life demand video. The Justice First party has wasted no time in assigning blame, pointing the finger directly at the remnants of the old regime who still wield power in the shadows. They named Delcy Rodríguez and Diosdado Cabello, key figures of the dictatorship, holding them personally responsible for Guanipa’s life.

The Architecture of Terror

This kidnapping reveals a disturbing reality: the "deep state" of the dictatorship remains intact and operational. Despite the headline-grabbing regime change, the apparatus of repression—the intelligence services, the colectivos, and the secret police—continues to function with impunity.

• The Method: The use of unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers is a classic intimidation tactic designed to provide plausible deniability while terrorizing the target.
• The Target: Guanipa is a high-value target. As a former vice-president of the National Assembly and an elected governor who refused to bow to Maduro’s Constituent Assembly, he represents the defiant soul of the opposition.
• The Message: This was not just an abduction; it was a warning to the international community and the transition government that the old guard still holds the keys to the dungeon.

"We hold the regime responsible for anything that happens to my father," Ramón Guanipa declared. It is a plea that echoes across a nation desperate for normalcy but constantly pulled back into the abyss. For Juan Pablo Guanipa, the nightmare continues; for Venezuela, the long night is far from over.