Venezuela’s popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was arrested during an anti-government protest in Caracas on Thursday, according to the statement on X her party, Vente Venezuela.

Mrs. Machado was living in hiding with threats of arrest by government officials, and this was her first public appearance since August.

She was “violently intercepted while leaving the rally in Chacao”, a part of Caracas, according to the statement. “Regime troops shot at the motorcycles that were transporting her.”

At first it was not clear who took her into custody, although the event was full of government security forces.

The country’s autocrat, President Nicolás Maduro, is scheduled to be sworn in for a third term on Friday. Ms. Machado called for rallies across the country and in cities around the world to protest Mr. Maduro’s inauguration.

The country’s opposition, as well as the United States and other countries, say Mr. Maduro stole the recent election and that the real winner was Edmundo González, a former diplomat who has Ms. Machado’s support.

Mr. González has been living in exile since September.

Thousands turned out to support Ms Machado on Thursday, risking all of them being detained by the government. And the opposition leader stood on top of the truck while they shouted: “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”

At one point, a nun joined Ms. Machado in the vehicle, placing a rosary around her neck.

Ms. Machado told her followers: “This strength that we have built and that grows every day has prepared us for this last phase.”

“Whatever they do tomorrow,” she said of Maduro’s inauguration, “they just buried themselves!”