Politics · Barquisimeto, Venezuela · October 25, 2026

Venezuelan opposition leader Machado returns home after nearly a year abroad

Reported by 25 outlets · first reported Oct 25, 1:08 PM ET

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after nearly a year away. "I'm here. With you," the Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote on social media. She then appeared at a Mass in Barquisimeto, Lara state, after at least seven failed attempts to return. Her ally Edmundo González welcomed her return.

Why it matters

Her return adds pressure for elections in Venezuela and may complicate the US approach to the interim government.

Background

Machado left Venezuela secretly in December 2025 to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. About a month later, the US military seized President Nicolás Maduro. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has stayed in office beyond an initial 90 days without calling an election.

The story so far

1. Oct 25Venezuelan opposition leader Machado returns home after nearly a year abroad
2. Oct 26Venezuelan opposition leader Machado returns from exile
3. Oct 27Machado returns to Venezuela
4. Oct 30Machado returns to Venezuela, calls for elections
5. Nov 2Machado returns to Venezuela after months in exile

Follow the whole story →

Sources

• BBC News ↗Oct 25, 2:29 PM ET
• MercoPress ↗Oct 25, 1:08 PM ET
• The Hindu ↗Oct 25, 1:18 PM ET

This summary was written automatically from the reporting linked above; follow the sources for the full story. How One Turn works.

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