For nearly 600 days, activist Anthony Romero moved between more than a dozen safe houses to evade Venezuela’s security forces. After disputing Nicolás Maduro’s 2024 election victory, he went into hiding during a severe government crackdown that resulted in nearly 3,000 arrests. Romero, 35, a lawyer affiliated with opposition party Vente Venezuela, recently returned to public activity. On a recent Saturday he joined other campaigners in the La Dolorita district of eastern Caracas, wearing the party’s blue shirt while visiting residents. Fellow activist Jonatan Molero, 46, and retired teacher Oswaldo Rodríguez, 59, described earlier fears that prevented open political work. Rodríguez said he destroyed his party shirt when officials visited his home. Since Maduro’s removal by US forces on 3 January, authorities have allowed opposition gatherings, although no election date has been set. Police monitored one recent canvassing session but did not intervene. Analysts note that momentum for democratic change may be slowing. A Chatham House report indicates the United States appears willing to accept interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez in return for economic access, rather than pressing immediately for elections. Local residents expressed mixed views, with some still supporting a US-backed plan for stability and eventual voting while others report declining patience over the pace of political reform.
