Politics · Other · 1 hr ago
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returns from exile
Opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after months abroad.
She appeared with supporters at a church in Barquisimeto, west of the capital, Caracas.
Machado left Venezuela in December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize after spending months in hiding following a brief detention in 2025.
She wants a date set for a presidential election, but none has been scheduled.
In the 2024 election, Machado was barred from running and backed Edmundo González; credible evidence indicated he won, though authorities declared Nicolás Maduro the winner.
Maduro was captured by US forces in January, and interim President Delcy Rodríguez, his former deputy, has remained in office.
The US administration has worked with Rodríguez, while Machado and her allies press for a vote.
Machado’s return puts renewed focus on Venezuela’s political future, but the sources do not say when an election might take place.
María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after more than 10 months in exile.
She announced her return on social media, and opposition ally Edmundo González confirmed it.
Machado appeared with supporters at a church in Lara state, though one report said she returned to Caracas.
Her return comes as acting President Delcy Rodríguez governs without a scheduled presidential election.
Machado and her allies have called for an election, while the US administration has prioritised economic stability and a gradual political transition.
- Who
- María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- What
- She returned to Venezuela after more than 10 months abroad.
- When
- Sunday, October 25, 2026.
- Where
- Venezuela. Reports place her in Lara state, while one says she returned to Caracas.
- Why
- Not stated.
Machado and her allies
Delcy Rodríguez's government
Presidential election
Machado and her allies
Machado and her allies have demanded a date for an election.
Delcy Rodríguez's government
Rodríguez remains in office as acting president, and no election has been scheduled.
Political transition
Machado and her allies
Machado has said she intends to mobilise Venezuelans ahead of future elections.
Delcy Rodríguez's government
The government and the US administration have pursued a gradual transition, prioritising economic stability.
Machado won an opposition primary and intended to challenge Nicolás Maduro in the 2024 presidential election.
Maduro was declared the winner of the presidential election, while the opposition argued that Edmundo González had won.
Machado left Venezuela in a clandestine operation to collect her Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
The US seized Maduro, and the Trump administration backed Delcy Rodríguez as interim president.
Machado announced her return to Venezuela, and González confirmed her arrival.
- Return date
- October 25, 2026
- Time abroad
- More than 10 months
- Reported appearance
- Church in Lara state
- Acting president
- Delcy Rodríguez
- Opposition ally
- Edmundo González
- Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize
- Awarded in 2025
15 sources
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What people are saying
I am here. With you.
Today is a very important day for Venezuelans. Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process!
I don't know anything about it, but 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. She's a very nice woman. But we're doing really well in Venezuela.
a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future