Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has returned to her country after more than 10 months in exile, amid political uncertainty and renewed calls for a democratic transition.
“I am here. With you,” Machado wrote on X on Sunday, confirming her return after previous attempts to re-enter Venezuela were unsuccessful, according to the BBC.
Machado left Venezuela by speedboat under cover of darkness to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Her return comes after a dramatic political shift in January, when US forces seized President Nicolás Maduro, who is now being held in New York to face drugs, weapons and torture charges. Maduro has pleaded not guilty.
Following Maduro’s removal, his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim president after receiving backing from the administration of US President Donald Trump. Rodríguez later signed an oil deal granting favourable terms to the United States.
Machado was photographed attending Mass at a church in Lara State on Sunday, where supporters embraced her and clasped her hands. She subsequently began travelling towards the capital, Caracas, in a caravan accompanied by cheering supporters, while others lined the route to welcome her.
Her ally and former presidential candidate, Edmundo González, confirmed her arrival, describing it as an important moment for the country.
“I am thrilled to announce to you that our leader, my dear María Corina, is on Venezuelan soil,” González said in a statement.
“Today is a very important day for Venezuelans. Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process!” he added, promising to join Machado in Venezuela to advance the country towards freedom.
Machado’s return follows repeated efforts to re-enter the country. An adviser to the opposition leader said in September that she had attempted to return seven times in the preceding weeks but was denied entry on each occasion. Reports suggested that the United States had been involved in delaying her return, an allegation Washington denied.
It remains unclear what Machado intends to do next. However, she has previously said she would run for president again if another election were held. Her return had been contingent on approval from the Trump administration, which now appears to have been granted.
A staunch supporter of democracy, Machado won an independent opposition presidential primary in 2023, securing more than 90 per cent of the vote. The primary was held outside the official electoral authority controlled by Maduro’s government.
Despite her victory, the government barred her from contesting the 2024 presidential election, accusing her of fraud and tax violations. Machado denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. She spent her final days in Venezuela hiding in safehouses before leaving the country to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
Her ally, González, subsequently contested the 2024 election against Maduro. Although the government-aligned electoral authority declared Maduro the winner, it did not publish detailed voting tallies. The opposition disputed the result, insisting that González had won and releasing copies of voting records as evidence.
Machado’s spokesperson, David Smolansky, described her return as “a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future”.
He thanked Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US government, Congress and allied governments for their continued support.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said he knew nothing about Machado’s return but expressed hope that she was safe.
“I think she’s a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize, so how can I say anything else? And I hope she’s safe,” he said.
Machado visited the White House in January and presented Trump with her Nobel Prize award. However, the Nobel Committee had clarified that the prize could not be revoked, shared or transferred to another person.
Rubio credited US-backed reconciliation talks with creating the conditions for Machado’s safe return. He said the talks had already resulted in the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the return of hundreds of opposition figures from exile.
“We expect all political actors to support these talks which represent the best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years to peacefully achieve not just a free and fair election but an enduring democracy,” Rubio said.
Machado’s return marks a significant development in Venezuela’s political crisis, although the prospects for fresh elections and a lasting democratic transition remain uncertain.