Opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado has returned to Venezuela after almost a year in exile, her team has confirmed, in a move she said was intended to stand alongside supporters seeking political change.
“I am here. With you,” Ms Machado wrote in Spanish on X. Later, she posted: “Finally, Caracas, I’m here!!” alongside video showing supporters welcoming her arrival.
Her senior adviser, David Smolansky, described the homecoming as “a major step toward a democratic transition and free, fair, and verifiable presidential elections in the near future”.
He said Ms Machado had returned to support Venezuelans “in their pursuit of freedom, democracy, and justice” and to help advance a peaceful transition with guarantees for all.
Ms Machado was later seen at a church in the state of Lara, west of Caracas, where dozens of supporters hugged her and reached out to shake her hand. Many held up mobile phones to record the moment.
Supporters shouted “María! María!” and “Welcome to Venezuela!”, while one man called out: “Long live freedom, damn it!” One woman wiped away tears and described the moment as “a miracle”.
Edmundo González, a former presidential candidate associated with Ms Machado’s movement who has been living in Spain, also confirmed her return. He said he would be beside her “very soon”.
Ms Machado left Venezuela covertly in December with a private US rescue team to accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. It was her first public appearance in 11 months.
She had been barred by Nicolás Maduro’s government from leaving the country and is regarded as a fugitive by Venezuelan authorities, who accuse her of calling for military intervention against Venezuela.
Ms Machado had made several unsuccessful attempts to return, including after the double earthquakes on June 24. In September, Mr Smolansky said she had been refused entry three times within 24 hours after trying to reach the country by air and sea.
Asked about her return, US President Donald Trump said he hoped she was safe and described her as “a very nice woman”. He added: “She gave me her Nobel Prize. So how can I say anything else?”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the circumstances that had enabled Ms Machado to return were the direct result of US-backed reconciliation talks. He said Washington expected the freedoms of all sectors of Venezuelan politics to continue to be respected.
Ms Machado’s homecoming comes amid uncertainty over Venezuela’s political future. Since Mr Maduro’s ousting, the country has been run by acting president Delcy Rodríguez, a longstanding ally of the former leader, and no presidential election date has been scheduled.
Ms Machado and her allies have been demanding an election timetable, while US officials have stressed that economic stabilisation should come first.
