Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado has returned to the country following more than 10 months in exile, coinciding with ongoing national demonstrations demanding free elections.
Machado announced her homecoming on social media on Sunday, writing, "I am here. With you." Edmundo González, the current opposition leader, confirmed her arrival on X, stating that she was back on Venezuelan soil. Footage shared by the Comando Con Venezuela political organization showed Machado being greeted by supporters at a church in Lara.
Machado previously stepped away from public view following a brief arrest in January 2025. She resurfaced in December in Norway, where she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work challenging Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that Machado's safe return resulted from US-backed reconciliation talks that have led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the return of exiled opposition figures.
