Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado returned home on Sunday, October 25, 2026, after more than 10 months in exile. Her return challenges interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who has not scheduled presidential elections despite constitutional requirements.
Machado announced her arrival on social media platform X, writing, “I am here. With you.” Her ally, former presidential candidate Edmundo González, confirmed her return, stating, “Today is a very important day for Venezuelans.”
Machado was photographed attending Mass at a church in Venezuela’s Lara state, surrounded by supporters. She then began traveling to the capital, Caracas, in a caravan of cheering supporters, with more lining her route.
US support and political reconciliation
Machado’s return is a direct result of US-backed political reconciliation talks, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He described it as a significant step towards a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable elections in Venezuela. Rubio added that these talks have already led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the return of many opposition figures from exile, urging all political actors to support them as Venezuela’s best chance for peaceful democracy in 30 years.
In January 2026, US forces apprehended then-President Nicolás Maduro, taking him to New York to face drug and weapons-related charges. Following Maduro’s capture, the Trump administration endorsed his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, as interim president. Rodríguez subsequently signed an oil deal granting very favorable terms to the US.
Trump’s stance and election prospects
Despite the US administration’s role, US President Donald Trump stated he had no knowledge of Machado’s return. While calling Machado “a very nice woman,” he indicated continued support for interim President Rodríguez, asserting that Venezuela was “doing really well.”
Machado has previously stated she would run for president again if an election were held. In 2023, she won an independent presidential primary election, held outside the Maduro government’s official electoral authority, securing over 90% of the vote. However, Maduro’s government barred her from running for office, citing fraud and tax violations, which Machado denied as politically motivated.
Rodríguez’s legitimacy and the path forward
Under Venezuela’s constitution, an interim president’s appointment is for 90 days, extendable by the National Assembly, the upper house of parliament, for another 90 days. However, interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s term has exceeded 90 days, and the National Assembly has not voted to extend it, raising questions about her legitimacy.
David Smolansky, an advisor to Machado, called her return “a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future.” Edmundo González also stated he would soon join Machado in Venezuela to advance the country “toward freedom.”
Rodríguez’s government has not set a date for elections, despite public demand and her commitment at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026 to move towards “full democracy.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that Venezuela needs to stabilize its economy and rebuild institutions, including its courts and electoral council, before holding new elections.
