María Corina Machado returns to Venezuela after months in exile

Thousands of Venezuelans protest for democratic elections

Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets on Thursday, 22 October 2026, to demand democratic reforms and the return of the exiled opposition leader. These demonstrations were the first nationwide opposition protests in nearly two years and coincided with the third anniversary of the primary elections won by Machado.

Activists from the Machado-led group Vente Venezuela spearheaded the movement, which resulted in street closures in Caracas. Demonstrators gathered in Plaza Venezuela to call for the release of political prisoners and for presidential elections to be scheduled as early as 2027.

Beyond the capital, additional protests occurred in the states of Nueva Esparta, Táchira, and Zulia.

Machado leads acting President Delcy Rodríguez in support polls

An AtlasIntel survey conducted for Bloomberg News shows María Corina Machado holds 52% support among the public. In comparison, acting President Delcy Rodríguez registers 19% support in the same data.

Government and opposition remain deadlocked in transition talks

The post-Maduro government initiated talks in August with an opposition faction led by Dinorah Figuera to secure a democratic transition. Figuera is the president of the 2015 National Assembly.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez met with Figuera inside the presidential palace to discuss the electoral process. Three rounds of these U.S.-backed negotiations have failed to produce an agreement on elections.

The ruling United Socialist Party held a gathering near opposition demonstrators in Caracas for a women’s march for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Rodríguez addressed the situation in a statement reported by El País.

U.S. President Trump prioritizes oil control over immediate elections

Dhayana Fernández-Matos, a professor of political science at the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, told RTVE last month that an election in Venezuela is not a priority for Trump. In a September interview, he stated: "It’s so raw now, you know that I just think it’s too soon".

In August, the President announced a deal granting the U.S. majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil. This amount represents approximately one-fifth of the nation’s total reserves.

Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have set specific prerequisites for future elections. These include national stabilisation, economic recovery, and national reconciliation.

Further requirements include a reformed electoral commission, a new court makeup, and a truly free press.

Post-Maduro instability and social unrest continue

The removal of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January has been followed by continued social unrest. According to the international civil society alliance CIVICUS, which cited data from the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, there were 1,101 protests in September. This figure equates to approximately 37 protests per day.

Stability efforts have been further complicated by natural disasters. Twin earthquakes struck Venezuela in June, causing extensive damage across the country.

Disputed 2024 election results and the role of Edmundo González Urrutia

Critics have long disputed the 2018 and 2024 re-elections of Nicolás Maduro for lacking transparency and fairness. They argue that Edmundo González Urrutia, who acted as a proxy for María Corina Machado, won the 2024 election.

González Urrutia is a Venezuelan politician, analyst, and diplomat who previously was the Venezuelan ambassador to Argentina and Algeria. He sits on the editorial board of El Nacional and is a member of the Unitary Platform political alliance.

He was the Unitary Platform's candidate in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election.

Opposition expectations for upcoming presidential polls

Former congressman Piero Maroun attended the recent protests and expressed optimism regarding the timing of future polls. According to the independent local news organisation Efecto Cocuyo, he stated, "We will have presidential elections very soon with María Corina as president".