The Caravans Demand the Return of María Corina Machado by Taking to the Streets of Venezuela.

The opposition leader has reiterated that she will return to Venezuela, while her team denounces failed attempts to return.  Massive caravans took place this Sunday in various cities across Venezuela to demand the return to the country of opposition leader María Corina Machado, according to reports circulating on social media.  Journalist Emmanuel Rincón reported on the mobilizations, while the Vente Venezuela party published images of one of the activities and stated: “We are already at the Vuelta Lola to begin the ride for the return of our national leader María Corina Machado.” 

The protests come days after Machado attempted to return to Venezuela on several occasions from Panama. Her team confirmed that on September 22nd she made three attempts to return in less than 24 hours, all of which were unsuccessful. These would bring the total number of attempts by the opposition leader to at least seven since leaving the country.  Machado is currently in Panama and has publicly insisted that she will return to Venezuela. Yesterday, September 26, during an international forum on democracy, she stated that she will return “very soon” and called for continued pressure to establish an electoral process in the country.

The leader left Venezuela at the end of 2025, after remaining in hiding for months following the political crisis stemming from the 2024 presidential elections.  She later traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and settled in Panama.  Machado’s return has become a central issue for the Venezuelan opposition. In July, the United States State Department stated that it would not prevent her return and recognized her right as a Venezuelan citizen to return, although it noted the need to take steps to prevent her arrest.  For his part, the chief negotiator for the Chavista regime, Jorge Rodríguez, denied on Friday that Venezuelan authorities were preventing Machado’s return, after his team denounced failed attempts from Panama. 

The new caravans are therefore taking place amid expectations about the possible return of Machado and mobilizations that have also demanded an electoral calendar for Venezuela.  For his part, the chief negotiator for the Chavista regime, Jorge Rodríguez, denied on Friday that Venezuelan authorities were preventing Machado’s return, after his team denounced failed attempts from Panama.  The new caravans are therefore taking place amid expectations about the possible return of Machado and mobilizations that have also demanded an electoral calendar for Venezuela.  If you have X, you can view the caravans below. 

https://twitter.com/VenteVenezuela/status/2104235685192634781/video/1

Juan Pablo Guanipa joins the massive mobilization in Maracaibo, Zulia State, in support of the return of Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado as pictured below on X.