María Corina Machado returns to Venezuela after nearly a year abroad. The opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner reappeared on Sunday, October 25, at a church in Lara state, west of Caracas. It was her first public appearance in the country since December. No presidential election has yet been scheduled under acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- Machado announced her return on X on October 25 with a short post: “I am here. With you.”
- Her party says she tried at least seven times to go home and was blocked; Venezuelan authorities deny blocking her, the AP reported.
- Delcy Rodríguez has led Venezuela as acting president since US forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.
What happened on Sunday?
Supporters greeted Machado inside a church in Barquisimeto, in Lara state, according to the AP and France 24. Many filmed her on their phones as she shook hands and hugged people. She then set off by road toward Caracas, making stops along the way.
She did not say how she had got back into the country, Fox News reported. Her ally Edmundo González, who ran in her place in the 2024 presidential election, said on X that he would join her soon.
In Washington, officials responded in different ways. Speaking to reporters in Port Huron, Michigan, President Donald Trump said he did not know about the return. He added that he hoped she would be safe. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said the conditions for her safe return were the result of US-backed reconciliation talks, Euronews reported.
Why does it matter that Machado returns to Venezuela now?
Machado is one of Venezuela’s leading opposition figures, and she has been pressing for an election date. US officials, by contrast, have said the economy must be stabilized first, the AP reported. So her presence inside the country adds pressure on both Caracas and Washington.
For the US, the stakes include oil and domestic politics. Trump has praised his administration’s relationship with Rodríguez and pointed to deals on Venezuelan oil, Fox News reported. Brian Fonseca, a Venezuela analyst at Florida International University, told the AP that her return could even become a factor in US midterm politics.
European coverage has focused on the bigger picture. France 24, for example, framed her homecoming against growing doubts about Venezuela’s democratic future and the US role in it.
What led to this moment?
Machado won an opposition primary in October 2023 but was barred from running against Maduro in 2024. González ran instead. Maduro was then proclaimed the winner by an electoral council packed with government allies. The AP said credible evidence showed González had won by more than two to one.
After a protest in January 2025, Machado was briefly detained. She then spent 11 months in hiding before leaving Venezuela in secret. In December 2025 she appeared in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Weeks later, in January 2026, US forces seized Maduro in Caracas and flew him to New York. He faces drug-related charges there, and he and his wife deny new US torture charges, France 24 reported. Rodríguez, his former vice president, took over as acting president with Washington’s support.
Venezuela’s top court initially allowed her to serve 90 days, with a possible 90-day extension from the National Assembly. That extension vote never took place, yet she has stayed in office, according to the AP.
How have Venezuelan and US officials responded?
Rodríguez did not immediately comment on Machado’s return, Euronews reported. Venezuelan authorities have previously denied claims that they blocked her from coming home.
Some opposition activists have also questioned whether the US held her back. US officials deny this, although they say they have advised her against returning for safety reasons. Reuters reported in June that US officials had asked her to delay her return, Fox News noted.
Rubio has framed the moment as progress. He said the reconciliation talks offer Venezuela its best chance in three decades at a free and fair election, the AP reported.
What happens next now that Machado returns to Venezuela?
No presidential election date has been set. In September, Rodríguez told the UN General Assembly that Venezuelans would decide the right moment for a vote.
Meanwhile, talks continue between the interim government and parts of the opposition. Fox News reported that a round this month focused on reforms to the Supreme Court. González has said he will come back soon as well, so the next few weeks will show what role Machado can play now that she is back on Venezuelan soil.
How to follow live coverage
US networks are following the story closely. CNN and Fox News both follow the Washington side of the story, while France 24 English and BBC News offer an international view. Living outside the US? Our guide to watching American news abroad explains the official options. For more world stories, see our Hot Topics page.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
Frequently asked questions
Machado returns to Venezuela: when did it happen?
She announced her return on Sunday, October 25, 2026, and appeared at a church in Barquisimeto, Lara state. It was her first appearance in the country since December 2025.
Who is running Venezuela now?
Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, is acting president. She took over after US forces captured Maduro in January 2026.
Will there be an election now that Machado returns to Venezuela?
Not yet. No date has been set. Machado and her allies want one, while US officials have said economic stabilization should come first.
