A group of Catholic faithful answered Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s call on Saturday to join a “global prayer for freedom” for political prisoners in her country, ahead of the upcoming canonization of Venezuelan physician Blessed José Gregorio Hernández and nun Carmen Rendiles on Oct. 19.

The event, organized by the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners and joined by various organizations and public figures, aims to hold public-square prayers for those who will become Venezuela’s first saints, so that their canonization may be celebrated “without political prisoners.”

On Friday, Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to achieve a democratic transition in the South American nation, earning recognition as a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro in last year’s presidential election, but the government disqualified her.

Edmundo González, who had never run for office before, took her place.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests, and human rights violations.

Electoral authorities loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner hours after polls closed, but unlike in previous presidential contests, they did not provide detailed vote counts.

The opposition presented credible evidence they won the election and Maduro’s proclamation as president elect the following day was immediately followed by widespread street protests leaving 28 dead, 220 injured and over 2,000 detained.

Those detained added to a list of prisoners in Venezuela, many of them opposition politicians.

Venezuelan authorities deny the detention of opponents for political reasons, instead claiming they are part of plots to destabilize the government.

AP Video shot by Andry Rincón