Supporters rally for Venezuelan opposition leader Machado’s return

Protests erupted across Venezuela on Sunday, with supporters of opposition leader María Corina Machado calling for her release and the holding of free elections. The demonstrators, who carried Venezuelan flags and rode in motorcycle convoys, were vocal in their demand for a clear timeline for presidential elections in 2027. Videos captured the scenes of unrest in several Venezuelan cities.

Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been unable to return to Venezuela since December, when she traveled to Oslo to accept the prestigious award. She has made seven unsuccessful attempts to return to the country, according to media reports. Currently residing in Panama, Machado has rallied the support of opposition parties Vente Venezuela and Primero Justicia in her fight for democratic change.

In a surprising turn of events, US forces captured Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's authoritarian leader, in a military operation in Caracas in January. Since then, the nation has been governed by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has maintained a close relationship with Washington. Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro's vice president, is viewed by the opposition as a relic of the previous authoritarian regime.

Juan Pablo Guanipa, another prominent opposition figure and former political prisoner, joined the demonstrations in the western city of Maracaibo. He implored the crowd to demand the immediate return of Machado, free elections, and the release of political prisoners. "We are on the streets of Maracaibo demanding the return of María Corina Machado, immediate free elections and the release of all political prisoners," Guanipa declared in a video.

Recent months have seen hundreds of individuals released from detention in Venezuela. Human rights organizations reported that an additional 30 people were freed on Friday evening, following the first meeting between US President Donald Trump and Rodríguez at the UN General Assembly in New York.