Venezuelan opposition names exiled Nobel laureate María Corina Machado as leader

Venezuelan opposition parties have named exiled Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado as the leader of their coalition, raising pressure on interim authorities to let her return. The Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD) announced the decision on Sunday, October 18, 2026, during a meeting in Caracas and presented a 14‑point plan for restoring democracy and a roadmap for general elections. The alliance also demanded the unconditional release of all political prisoners, an end to political repression, the right of exiles to return, full freedom for political parties, removal of bans on candidates, and the cessation of administrative actions against political groups.

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Machado, who lives in Panama after leaving Venezuela covertly in 2025 to receive her Nobel prize, has tried at least seven times to come back but has been blocked each time. Her party, Vente, is calling for elections next year and urging authorities to set a date. While a faction of the opposition is in its third round of U.S‑backed transition talks with the interim government in Caracas, Machado has not been invited to the talks but says she will not obstruct the process.

Context

The interim government is led by Delcy Rodríguez, who took over after the U.S. captured former president Nicolás Maduro in January and sent him to stand trial in New York. The opposition’s move comes amid intense U.S. pressure on the interim administration to organize free, competitive elections.