Aide to Venezuelan opposition leader returns from exile

Venezuelan opposition activist Claudia Macero, a press chief for Maria Corina Machado, returned to Venezuela on Sunday to a hero's welcome. Hundreds of supporters greeted her at the airport in Caracas, where she was met with cheers and singing of the national anthem. Machado, a Nobel peace laureate, has been denied permission to return to Venezuela since January when the US captured Nicolas Maduro and installed a government aligned with US interests.

Macero, who ran press operations for Machado, expressed emotional feelings as she returned, expressing her wish for her family and colleagues. She did not know when Machado would be able to return, but stated that she has tried seven times before and hoped this eighth attempt would be the final one. Macero emphasized that Machado has the right as a Venezuelan citizen to be in Venezuela and that there should be no obstacle to her return.

Analysts attribute the blockade to Machado's return to Washington, which closely monitors interim president Delcy Rodriguez and runs the country as a satellite. However, the Trump administration denies this. Macero, one of several Machado associates who sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas in 2024, left the embassy in May and arrived in the US after a secret operation orchestrated by the Trump administration.

Hundreds of Machado's supporters demonstrated in Venezuela to demand her safe return. Juan Pablo Guanipa, an opposition politician and Machado's ally, called for presidential elections, urging the nation to strive for a free and democratic country.