Aide to Venezuelan opposition leader returns from exile

A close aide to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has returned from exile to a hero's welcome in the capital city. Hundreds of supporters gathered at the airport to greet Claudia Macero as she landed. Claudia is the press operations manager for Machado.

Maria Corina Machado herself has been denied permission to return to Venezuela since the US overthrew President Nicolas Maduro in January and installed a US-aligned government. Venezuela has since been controlled by President Donald Trump, who sought access to Venezuela's oil resources.

Claudia Macero expressed her determination to return, stating "It is time to come home. It is time to recover the country." She added that Maria Corina Machado is actively working to secure her return, despite the complex process involved.

Maria Corina Machado briefly returned to Venezuela in December to collect her Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. After a short stay in the United States, she moved to Panama City. Her party, the Movement for Democratic Venezuela, claims she has attempted seven previous attempts to return to Venezuela. Opponents within Venezuela attribute her continued absence to US interference, though the Trump administration denies such claims.

Claudia Macero, 34, is one of seven associates of Machado who sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas in March 2024 to escape arrest during a crackdown ahead of the 2024 elections. They left the embassy in May 2025 following a covert operation orchestrated by the Trump administration, though the details remain undisclosed.