CARACAS, Venezuela – Maria Corina Machado is the second prominent political opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who has been unable to travel out of the Simón Bolívar International Airport this month.
Machado said on Wednesday that she and two staffers were prevented from boarding their flight to the Venezuelan island of Nueva Esparta.
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In a video she posted on Twitter, Machado said employees of the Caracas-based Laser Airlines told her their system had been hacked and they couldn't check them in. She said they also couldn't sell them more tickets.
"The solution they give me is that I buy a ticket in Conviasa, but it turns out that neither Conviasa nor Aeropostal have been selling me tickets for the last three years," Machado said.
Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela and Conviasa are both state-owned airlines. Machado promised that she will travel to Nueva Esparta and will continue to defy all of the obstacles that the Maduro administration places in her way.
"I will go by boat, but I will be with you very soon and I will continue to travel all over the country," Machado said. She added, "The dictatorship is going leave and we will live in freedom."
Henrique Capriles was detained last week at the same airport when he attempted to fly to New York City to address the United Nations. He said authorities annulled and seized his passport. He also used Twitter to denounce the incident.
Local 10 News Andrea Torres reported from Miami.
