Machado Returns to Caracas Amidst Political Realignment
The opposition leader arrives nearly a year after her exit, following a shift in U.S. support toward interim President Delcy Rodriguez.
By Madison Lewis ·
Maria Corina Machado returned to Caracas on Sunday after an absence of nearly twelve months. She traveled in a convoy of cars and motorcycles through the capital, where thousands of supporters lined the highways and toll plazas. The crowd waved Venezuelan flags and chanted slogans calling for freedom as her vehicle passed.
Machado wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans for the occasion. She leaned out of her car's sunroof and shouted that the country was giving lessons to everyone. Earlier in the day, AFP reporters observed her singing the national anthem in a packed plaza in Guacara.
Her departure in December last year coincided with her receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. Facing arrest under former President Nicolas Maduro, she took refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas. With assistance from the United States, she was smuggled out of the country to avoid detention.
The path back home was complicated by a change in American foreign policy. After the U.S. led the ouster and arrest of Maduro, Washington shifted its support to interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The Trump administration preferred Rodriguez during the transition period, leading to travel restrictions and flight cancellations for Machado.
Machado stated that her inability to return stemmed partly from Trump's concern that her presence might inflame tensions. Rodriguez's interference also played a role in delaying her homecoming. Following her return to power, Machado had given her Nobel medal to President Trump.
The return marks a new chapter in Venezuela's political structure. With Maduro removed and Rodriguez in charge, Machado is now back on the ground in the capital. Her presence signals a re-engagement with the local power dynamic after a period of external maneuvering.
