Opposition leader and Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado returns to Venezuela

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has returned to Venezuela after being absent for nearly a year, according to her social media post on Sunday. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who had given the prize to US President Donald Trump, had sought to cultivate a relationship with the administration since the ousting of long-time leader Nicolas Maduro in January.

Images of Machado were shared by her media team in central-western Lara state, where she appeared at a church in Plaza del Pueblo de Santa Rosa. The issue of her return had strained her relationship with the Trump administration, which supported interim President Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former vice president, and their oil production agreements.

Trump, during a White House appearance on Sunday, expressed no knowledge of Machado's return and reiterated his stance on US backing for Rodriguez. Machado, who had gone into hiding after her detention during a protest against recent elections, had previously attempted to return to Venezuela to receive her Nobel prize. While the US government has allowed some exiled politicians, activists, and journalists to return, including some of Machado's allies, allowing her to organize and campaign would be a significant move for democracy.

However, US priorities have been political and economic stability over immediate democratic transition, with major energy agreements providing US access to Venezuela's crude reserves. Machado's return had caused friction in Washington, with officials requesting she delay her trip. US-backed talks with Rodriguez's government and opposition factions ended recently with agreements to review laws governing political disqualifications and public demonstrations.