Opposition Leader Machado Returns to Venezuela

Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, returned to her home country after nearly a year in exile, greeted by enthusiastic supporters at a church in Barquisimeto. Her return adds pressure on Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who has led the country under U.S. watch since January. Machado, who has been absent from domestic politics due to her frequent escapes and overseas stays, has received high attention and demonstrations in Caracas and other cities, demanding elections and her release from political disqualification.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has returned to her home country after nearly a year in exile, drawing enthusiastic welcomes from supporters. Machado, who was in a white tee-shirt and blue jeans, greeted her followers at a church in Barquisimeto. This move is likely to intensify pressure on interim president Delcy Rodriguez, who has led the country since US forces ousted former leader Nicolas Maduro. (

Machado has been in exile since 2025, when she covertly left Venezuela to receive her Nobel Peace Prize. Her efforts to return have been repeatedly denied by Venezuelan authorities. Meanwhile, US forces seized Maduro in a surprise operation and he was flown to New York for criminal charges, an event that Machado had praised. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Machado would support ongoing Washington-backed talks, seen as the best chance for Venezuela to achieve enduring democracy. (

Back in Venezuela, Machado's homecoming was celebrated by thousands of demonstrators in Caracas and other cities. Her Vente Venezuela party has called for elections next year and the lifting of the political disqualification that prevented her from running in the previous presidential vote. Machado, the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been sidelined from the current political discussions but her return is seen as a significant event by the opposition.