Opposition leader Andres Velasquez, after 16 months in hiding: We need to put a timeline on Marco Rubio's plan in Venezuela'

"he faced extremely restrictive and harsh living conditions: during that entire time, he was unable to set foot outside or see his family. His face reflects the consequences of that hardship: dark circles under his eyes, a voice that betrays exhaustion, and an unusual beard. Sometimes, a police officer would give me a tip-off to warn me that they might be looking for me, and I would move to a different location, says the 72-year-old former governor of Bolivar state."

"Velasquez ventured out of hiding with extreme caution. He did so last month, following the shifts in Venezuelan politics after Nicolas Maduro's arrest. He says he frequently scans his surroundings to see if any police are following him. But he has observed that these days, officers don't notice him. There doesn't appear to be an order in place to arrest him on any pretext. Therefore, encouraged by information he receives from colleagues and associates, he has decided to return to public life."

"Along with the release this Sunday of highly symbolic political leaders such as Jesus Armas, Roland Carreno, and Javier Tarazona, the return from hiding of Andres Velasquez is one of the most evident expressions of the resurgence of protest and the return of the citizen agenda. A new atmosphere is beginning to emerge in Venezuela after the U.S. military intervention that led to the arrest of Nicolas Maduro. In addition to Velasquez, activist Delsa Solorzano also emerged from hiding."

Andres Velasquez spent 16 months in hiding after going underground during the crackdown following the July 2014 elections in which Nicolas Maduro declared himself the winner. He endured extremely restrictive conditions, unable to leave or see his family, showing physical signs of hardship. He frequently relocated after tip-offs that police might be searching for him. Velasquez emerged cautiously after Maduro's arrest, scanning for followers but finding no active arrest order and feeling encouraged by colleagues. The simultaneous release of symbolic opposition figures and his return signal a resurgence of protest and the citizen agenda, though the re-arrest of Juan Pablo Guanipa has dampened expectations.

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