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Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Returns After Exile
· Confirmed
In Short: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has returned to her homeland after over 10 months in exile, announcing her return on social media, according to reports from the BBC (United Kingdom) and Fox News.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and Fox News reported that Machado wrote on X, 'I am here. With you,' on Sunday, signaling her return to Venezuela.
According to the BBC (United Kingdom) and France24 (France), Machado won an independent presidential primary election in 2023, earning more than 90% of the vote, but was barred from running for office by Maduro's government, which accused her of fraud and tax violations.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) reported that Machado was photographed attending Mass at a church in the Venezuelan state of Lara, surrounded by supporters hugging her and clasping her hands.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) noted that Machado's return comes amid a fraught political landscape in Venezuela, with her ally, former presidential candidate Edmundo González, confirming the news minutes after her arrival.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) reported that Machado's spokesperson called her return 'a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future.'
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) stated that Machado had attempted seven times to return to Venezuela over the previous few weeks but was denied each time.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) noted that Machado's return was met with enthusiasm from supporters, who gathered to demand a date for presidential elections.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) reported that Machado's campaign team said she made her first public appearance among worshippers at the Church of Santa Rosa in Lara State, in western Venezuela.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) stated that it was unclear how Machado managed to return to Venezuela, but footage on social media showed her in Barquisimeto, the capital of Lara state, about 220 miles west of Caracas.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.ke (Kenya) reported that U.S. officials have emphasized economic stabilization over setting a date for presidential elections.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.uk (United Kingdom) reported that Machado's return is a major step toward a democratic transition in Venezuela, with her allies demanding a date for a presidential election.
The BBC (United Kingdom) and www.the-star.co.uk (United Kingdom) reported that Machado's return is a major step toward a democratic transition in Venezuela, with her allies demanding a date for a presidential election.
What's confirmed
- "I am here. With you," Machado wrote on X on Sunday.
- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has returned home to a fraught political landscape after over 10 months in exile.
- "Today is a very important day for Venezuelans. Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process!"
- In a statement shared with Margaret Brennan of CBS News, the BBC's US partner, a spokesperson for Machado called her return "a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future".
- The Trump administration then backed his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, as leader, and she was sworn in as interim president, later signing an oil deal with the US.
- Her ally, former presidential candidate Edmundo González, confirmed the news minutes later, writing: "I am thrilled to announce to you that our leader, my dear María Corina, is on Venezuelan soil." In January, a month after Machado left Venezuela to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway, the US seized her opponent, President Nicolás Maduro.
- Machado announced her arrival on social media, writing "I am here. With you."
- Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado announced on Sunday that she has returned to her homeland following almost a year in exile, after covertly leaving Venezuela in late 2025 to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Asked by reporters Sunday about Machado's return to Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "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."
- Machado and her allies have been demanding a date for a presidential election in Venezuela, but U.S. officials have emphasized economic stabilization first.
- Supporters of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gather to demand that a date be set for presidential elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Oct.
What's still developing
- Machado denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.
- He added that he will soon join Machado in Venezuela to advance the country "toward freedom".
- It's unclear what Machado plans to do next now that she's back, but she has previously said she would run for president again if an election were held.
- "Machado returns to stand with Venezuelans in their pursuit of freedom, democracy, and justice, and to help advance a peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable transition leading to free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections, with guarantees for all," he said, thanking President Trump, the U.S. government and others for "their continued leadership and support."
- President Donald Trump, asked about Machado's return by reporters in Port Huron, Michigan, said he was unaware of the development but expressed hope for her safety.
- FILE - Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado attends a press conference in Panama City, May 23, 2026.
- Nobel laureate María Corina Machado has reappeared in Venezuela for the first time since December.
- On Friday, the Committee announced María Corina Machado would receive the Peace Prize for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela".
- The Nobel Committee did not look to reprimand Machado for her decision, and noted that there is nothing in the statutes of the Nobel Foundation that bars a laureate from giving away their medal, which is cast in 18-carat gold.