Protests Erupt Across Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela — Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado took to the country’s streets on Sunday to demand her safe return and presidential elections that could lead to a democratic transition in Venezuela.
In Caracas, hundreds of activists in sky blue shirts, the color of Machado’s Vente Venezuela party, rode motorcycles and drove through the city’s main avenues. Participants honked their horns and waved Venezuelan flags during the demonstration.
Similar demonstrations were held in state capitals including Valencia, Maracaibo, and Merida.
"This is not a matter of parties or politics," said Flavio Valentini, a Vente Venezuela activist in Caracas. "This is a movement for the people and by the people." The government has been widely accused of stealing elections, jailing dissidents, and stifling freedom of speech.
Blocked Attempts to Return
Machado has been living in exile for the past nine months, with her plans to return spoiled multiple times. Opposition activists have accused Venezuela’s government of blocking her return, a claim denied by Venezuelan authorities.
Machado’s party said on Monday night that the opposition leader made three unsuccessful attempts to return. Her team said Monday that she attempted to return to Venezuela by sea, but the company that chartered her boat canceled the trip hours before leaving, alleging its vessel was unfit for navigation.
Machado later tried to fly to Curacao from where she could take a speed boat to Venezuela, but her plane was denied landing permits. In total, Machado has made seven unsuccessful attempts to return to Venezuela this year, according to her party.
Political Context and U.S. Stance
Machado was barred from running in Venezuela’s last presidential election by courts under the control of former President Nicolás Maduro. Her stand-in candidate is widely believed to have won the election with almost two thirds of the vote, but Maduro claimed victory and unleashed a violent crackdown against dissidents. The crackdown forced Machado and dozens of opposition leaders into hiding.
Last year, Machado smuggled herself out of Venezuela after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to restore democracy. A U.S. military operation removed Maduro in January. Machado has been unable to return to Venezuela since then.
The government is now led by Delcy Rodríguez, a Maduro ally who has opened Venezuela’s oil industry to foreign investment and is working closely with the Trump administration. Some critics question whether the Trump administration is also involved in efforts to stop her from returning.
Trump administration officials deny they are holding Machado back, but have said that on some occasions they have advised that she not return to the country due to safety concerns. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a news conference earlier this month that Machado has “every right to enter her country whenever she wants to return.”
On Wednesday, Rubio said he was unaware of Machado’s most recent efforts to go back to the South American country. Rubio said the United States would like to see thousands of Venezuelans return to their country and “open the businesses that they lost.” The Secretary of State has long argued that before holding new elections, Venezuela must stabilize its economy and rebuild its institutions, like its courts and its electoral council.
Goals for Transition
Anthony Romero, a leader for Vente Venezuela in the nation’s capital, said, “We hope this transition process leads us to presidential elections and consolidates a free, democratic country that will be the main ally of the United States.”