Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado says she will seek the presidency again and plans to return to Venezuela from exile before the end of 2026. Multiple outlets report that Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, made the announcement on Saturday while speaking to or alongside other opposition leaders in Panama.
The reports describe her intention to pursue a democratic transition through free and fair presidential elections, including the participation of Venezuelans inside and outside the country. Several sources also note that Machado has been barred by the government from running in the disputed 2024 presidential election, where she had been a leading challenger.
In the accounts reviewed, Machado’s statements present her political aims going forward—returning to Venezuela in the coming months and laying the groundwork for a new presidential bid. The outlets also frame her renewed prominence as part of broader opposition efforts after the end of President Nicolás Maduro’s current term.
