Venezuela opposition leader Machado returns home after fraught year away

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado returned to Venezuela after a tumultuous year away, greeted by tens of thousands of supporters as she made her way to Caracas on Sunday night. Her arrival came after several failed return attempts that had strained her relationship with the US administration of President Donald Trump. Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election against the deposed leader, Nicolas Maduro, and had been absent from the country for ten months.

Upon her return, Machado was mobbed by supporters as her convoy entered the capital, where she stepped out of the vehicle to shake hands and hug her admirers through the sunroof. Earlier that morning, she delivered a brief speech at a church in western Lara state, where she was met with chants of "liberty!" and singing of the national anthem by onlookers.

Following the church service, Machado embarked on an eight-hour journey to Caracas due to the massive crowd. Her return was marked by a procession of rosaries handed to her by her followers, signaling the strong support she enjoyed from the Venezuelan people.