Venezuela opposition leader María Machado calls for elections upon return

Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado has demanded new national elections following her arrival back in the country after months living in exile.

Addressing reporters at a press conference in Caracas, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient insisted that Venezuela's political shift toward democratic governance cannot be stopped. Machado stated that the upcoming transition would be orderly, peaceful, and permanent. She projected that a vote would take place in 2027, though she did not specify a precise date.

Her remarks followed an announcement earlier in the day by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, who took power following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces in January. Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro and has since received backing from Washington, confirmed that elections would eventually occur and argued that her administration should manage the political process. Machado rejected that stance, describing the idea of the current interim authorities guiding the transition as illogical.

Machado also expressed gratitude to the administration of US President Donald Trump, saying American actions against Maduro had cleared the path toward liberty. Machado's own journey back to Venezuela required clearance from Washington after earlier attempts to return had fallen short. She had originally fled the country by sea under cover of night last year to travel to Norway to collect her Nobel honor.

While Machado has previously voiced her intention to pursue the presidency, her immediate operational steps remain undecided. She told reporters that she had not received any outreach or meeting proposals from Rodríguez and confirmed she would not directly sit at the negotiating table during electoral discussions between her coalition and the interim authorities. However, she voiced support for those talks, stressing that the country needs comprehensive electoral reform so that citizens living both domestically and overseas can cast ballots.

Ahead of Machado's media briefing, Rodríguez delivered an address striking a moderate tone, stating that security forces had been ordered not to arrest individuals without a judicial warrant, unless crimes were actively occurring. The interim president also asserted that Venezuelan borders are open to returning exiles and emphasized the importance of dialogue and mutual agreement.