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The Republican congresswoman from Florida María Elvira Salazar celebrated this Saturday the reopening of the national headquarters of Vente Venezuela, the party founded by María Corina Machado, and warned that the opposition's progress in Venezuela is encouraging, but "this is just the beginning."
The Cuban-American reacted on social media to the event held this morning at the venue known as El Bejucal, located in the Altamira neighborhood of Caracas, citing the message that Machado posted from abroad to commemorate the event.
"A true sign of movement in Venezuela," Salazar wrote. "Every space reclaimed by the opposition brings the country closer to restoring democracy and the will of its people. Encouraging, yes, but this is just the beginning. The Venezuelan people will not turn back. Neither will we."
The headquarters had remained closed for over a year after being attacked in August 2024 by armed and hooded men who stole equipment, documents, and caused vandalism, in the context of the repression that followed the presidential elections on July 28, 2024.
The reopening event was led by Henry Alviarez, national organization coordinator of Vente Venezuela, who was released on February 8, 2026, after spending nearly two years in prison at El Helicoide.
Alviarez reported that he was denied the benefit of the Amnesty Law enacted at the end of February 2026, which according to official figures released 6,071 political prisoners, although Foro Penal reports that there are still 777 detainees remaining.
María Corina Machado did not attend the event in person, but reacted from outside with a message full of emotion: "VENTE IS BACK HOME!! I'm there with each one of you. Let’s go for FULL DEMOCRACY AND FULL FREEDOM."
Machado also declared that "we are very close to achieving what we have long yearned for" and that "the path is clear" for Venezuelans to transform the country.
The attendees at the event chanted slogans like "Venezuela wants a democracy! Long live free Venezuela!" in an atmosphere described as historic and celebratory.
The reopening takes place within the context of the Venezuelan political transition that began after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026 during the so-called Operation Absolute Resolution, carried out by U.S. special forces. Since then, Delcy Rodríguez has assumed the role of interim president, and the United States formally recognized her government on March 9, 2026.
Salazar, who chairs the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been one of the most vocal advocates in Washington for Venezuela's democratic transition and has exerted direct pressure on the interim government, warning about very serious consequences if abuses against opponents occur.
Alviarez, for his part, expressed his conviction about the immediate future: "I have no doubt that María Corina will be back in Venezuela."
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