Venezuelans demand Maria Corina Machado’s return and free presidential elections as the country moves toward a possible democratic transition.
Venezuelans Rally for Maria Corina Machado’s Return and Elections
Hundreds of supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado have taken to the streets across the country, demanding her safe return to Venezuela and the holding of free presidential elections as the nation faces a possible political transition.
In Caracas, activists wearing sky-blue shirts associated with Machado’s Vente Venezuela party rode motorcycles through major avenues, honking their horns, carrying Venezuelan flags and calling for political change. Similar demonstrations took place in several state capitals, including Valencia, Maracaibo and Merida.
“This is not a matter of parties or politics,” said Flavio Valentini, a Vente Venezuela activist in Caracas, while addressing demonstrators through a megaphone. “This is a movement for the people and by the people.”
The demonstrations came as Claudia Macero, a close aide to Machado and former head of her press operations, returned to Venezuela after months in exile. Supporters welcomed Macero at the airport serving Caracas, where crowds gathered and sang the national anthem.
Macero told supporters that the time had come for Venezuelans to return home and reclaim their country. However, she said she could not confirm when Maria Corina Machado would return to Venezuela.
“Maria Corina is trying every day to come home,” Macero said, describing the process as difficult but expressing confidence that it would eventually come to an end.
Machado has spent the past nine months outside Venezuela after repeated attempts to return were unsuccessful. Opposition activists have accused the Venezuelan authorities of preventing her return, while government officials have rejected those accusations. Machado’s political party has said that the opposition leader attempted to return three times without success.
Calls for Free and Democratic Elections
Vente Venezuela supporters are also demanding presidential elections in Venezuela as part of a broader political transition.
Anthony Romero, a Vente Venezuela leader in Caracas, said supporters hoped the transition would result in presidential elections and establish a free and democratic Venezuela capable of maintaining strong relations with the United States.
The demand comes amid years of political conflict in Venezuela, where the government has faced accusations of electoral irregularities, political repression, arrests of dissidents and restrictions on freedom of speech.
At the same time, there have been recent signs of political movement. Venezuela recently released more than three dozen political prisoners following a second round of talks involving the interim government and the opposition, with support from the United States.
Maria Corina Machado and Venezuela’s 2024 Election
Maria Corina Machado was prevented from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election after courts barred her from appearing on the ballot. She subsequently backed Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the opposition candidate.
Opposition groups have maintained that Gonzalez Urrutia won the election by a significant margin, with their analysis indicating that he received almost two-thirds of the vote. Nicolas Maduro, however, was officially declared the winner.
The disputed election results triggered protests and a government crackdown on opposition activists and demonstrators. Machado and other opposition figures went into hiding amid the political turmoil.
Machado later left Venezuela after receiving the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democracy in the country.
Venezuela’s Political Transition
The political landscape changed dramatically in January 2026 after US forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. Following his removal, Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president.
Rodriguez, a longtime Maduro ally, has since pursued closer cooperation with the United States and opened Venezuela’s oil sector to increased foreign investment.
The interim government has also indicated that Venezuela is moving toward a political transition. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Rodriguez said the country would hold elections as part of a transition toward “full democracy.”
However, she did not announce a specific date for the presidential vote.
The uncertainty surrounding the election timetable remains a central issue for Venezuela’s opposition. Machado’s supporters continue to demand her return, political freedoms and a credible electoral process that would allow Venezuelans to choose their next government.
For many demonstrators, the latest protests represent a renewed push for democratic elections in Venezuela, the return of opposition leaders and an end to the country’s prolonged political crisis.
