María Corina Machado Returns to Venezuela, Testing the Interim Government

A return to public view

Her return followed ten months outside Venezuela. It presents a challenge to interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed office after U.S. forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro in January.

From hiding to Norway

Machado went into hiding in Venezuela in January 2025 after a brief detention following a protest. Later that year, she left the country in a secret escape and resurfaced in Norway in December.

There, she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful opposition to Maduro’s authoritarian government. Machado has since called for elections to be held soon, while Washington has said Venezuela needs to stabilize first.

Opposition response and Washington

González Urrutia, who challenged Maduro in the disputed 2024 presidential election, confirmed Machado’s return on X. He called it an important day for Venezuelans and said her return would help lead the political process.

González Urrutia is in exile in Spain and said he expected to join Machado soon. On Sunday, President Trump said he knew nothing about her return, called her a very nice woman, and said she had given him her Nobel Prize. He added that he hoped she was safe.