María Corina Machado set foot on Venezuelan soil this Sunday for the first time in almost ten months, marking the end of a long odyssey of failed attempts to return. The opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate confirmed it with a brief but powerful message on her social media: "I am here, with you."
According to an investigation by ABC, the return was made possible thanks to a diplomatic operation involving several countries, which did not face opposition from the White House. This circumstance was deemed crucial by the media following the case for making the return possible. RTVE confirmed that Machado was in Caracas, and according to ABC, she was expected to reappear publicly at the sanctuary of the Divina Pastora, in Barquisimeto, Lara state, one of the main centers of popular devotion in the country.
Machado had clandestinely left Venezuela in December 2025 by sea to Curacao, and then traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, he attempted to return at least seven times through various routes, but without success.
The most notable episode of that long wait was the so-called "Operation Ithaca," in September 2026, when Venezuela denied entry on three consecutive attempts in less than 24 hours from Panama City, combining maritime and aerial routes.
The relationship between Machado and the Trump Administration was tense for months. In July 2026, the State Department indicated that it did not consider his immediate return advisable. In October, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Washington had communicated to Dutch authorities that it did not support his return, which resulted in the withdrawal of the landing permit in Curacao.
The turn came at the beginning of October, when Trump expressed optimism about Machado's return and publicly declared that "everything will be fine" when asked about her situation. Marco Rubio, for his part, denied that Washington was hindering her comeback.
The return occurs at a time of high political tension. Since the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026, Washington has been negotiating with the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez the reorganization of institutions, the renewal of the Supreme Court and the National Electoral Council, and the conditions for future presidential elections.
Machado had publicly denounced that Washington excluded her from those negotiations, which were progressing without her direct involvement. On October 22, thousands of Venezuelans marched in Caracas and other states to demand elections and call for her return.
From exile in Spain, Edmundo González celebrated the return with an emotional message: "I am very excited to announce that our leader, my dear María Corina, is in Venezuelan territory. Today is a very important day for Venezuelans. Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process."
González also announced that he will follow the same path: "Very soon I will be with you and with her so that our country truly moves towards freedom. You know it, this is until the end."
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