After nearly a year away, exiled opposition leader Corina Machado returns to Venezuela
Machado announces her return
Machado said she had returned to Venezuela after leaving the country last December to receive the Nobel peace prize. Her close ally Edmundo González, who is in exile, confirmed her arrival in a social media post.
González said Machado was back on Venezuelan soil and described the day as important for Venezuelans. He also said he would return soon. Social media footage showed Machado in Barquisimeto, capital of Lara state, about 220 miles west of Caracas.
Unclear route back home
It was not immediately clear how Machado, 59, entered Venezuela. In recent months, she had reportedly made more than half a dozen unsuccessful attempts to return, including after an earthquake struck the northern coast in June.
Machado left a few weeks before Maduro was captured in January. The article says his capture followed his abduction by the United States.
Return poses political challenge
The Trump administration had reportedly opposed Machado’s return, believing her presence could complicate its relationship with interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice-president, now governs Venezuela, which the article describes as widely viewed as a US protectorate.
Trump was asked about Machado’s return on Sunday. He said he knew nothing about it, called her a very nice woman and referred to her having given him her Nobel prize.
Key points
- Machado announced her return after nearly a year away from Venezuela.
- Edmundo González confirmed her arrival and said he would return soon.
- Footage placed Machado in Barquisimeto, about 220 miles west of Caracas.
- The Trump administration had reportedly opposed her return amid its ties with Delcy Rodríguez.