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María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has returned to Venezuela after more than 10 months in exile. She announced her arrival on the social media platform X, stating, "I am here. With you," as reported by NPR.
Machado's return comes after she left Venezuela last December, under the protection of a U.S. rescue team, to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Her return marks a significant moment in Venezuela's political landscape, which has been reshaped in her absence. According to CNN, she was greeted by supporters at the Church of Santa Rosa in Lara State.
Her return poses a challenge to interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed leadership after the U.S. captured former President Nicolás Maduro in January. Machado has been a prominent figure in the opposition, calling for presidential elections and advocating for democratic reforms. Greenwich Time reports that she has been a vocal critic of the ruling party since 2004.
Former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, currently in exile, celebrated her return, describing it as "a very important day for Venezuelans." He expressed his intention to join her soon to advance towards freedom in Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump commented on her return, saying he was unaware of it but hoped she was safe. He described her as "a very nice woman" and noted that she had given him her Nobel Prize.
Machado's return is seen as a pivotal moment in Venezuela's ongoing political transition, with many hoping it will lead to new elections and a move towards democracy.