Machado calls Venezuela transition irreversible after 3-day return
The Nobel laureate cites progress in the U.S. government's three-phase plan and visits earthquake victims in La Guaira state.
By Adriana Abebe ·
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to her homeland on Sunday after several failed attempts to cross the border. She gave her first media interview on Thursday at noon, marking the third day since her arrival. Machado stated that the democratic transition in Venezuela is now irreversible. She noted that the three phases proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for the country are advancing as planned.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner addressed the timeline for upcoming elections. She said the deadlines have become clearer and that the plan addresses the country's urgency with responsibility. Her comments offer a specific update on the political process following her long absence from the political stage. The clarity in scheduling was a central point of her brief remarks to reporters.
Machado traveled to La Guaira state on Wednesday. This coastal region in the north suffered the most damage from the double earthquake on June 24. She met with disaster victims in various sectors of the area. Her campaign team, Comando con Venezuela, shared photos and videos of the visit on X. They described the trip as a priority to be beside the people of Vargas, the former name of La Guaira.
Her team said Machado inspected the destruction firsthand following the events of June 24. A statement from the campaign noted that seeing the wounds of the land is painful. However, embracing families and listening to their stories renews the commitment to not leave them alone. The visual documentation provided by her staff showed the physical extent of the damage in the affected zones.
Machado entered the country from Lara state in the west. She led a vehicle caravans to Caracas for her first public appearance. Since returning, she has met with members of her Vente Venezuela party. She also spoke with families of political prisoners and human rights victims. She held meetings with leaders of the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática coalition and the Alianza por Venezuela.
The Alianza por Venezuela is a group of small social and political organizations. Machado's meetings covered a wide range of political and social issues. Her presence in Caracas and La Guaira signals a shift in her engagement with the local population. The sequence of meetings and public appearances has defined the first week of her return.
The three-day period since her return has allowed her to assess the ground situation. She linked the progress of the transition to the specific plan outlined by the U.S. government. Her statements on Thursday followed her visits to the earthquake zone and her private meetings with coalition partners. The facts of her itinerary and her public quotes form the current record of her return.
