María Corina Machado's Defiant Return: A Venezuelan Leader Faces Risks for Change

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has been evading the government for months, announced this morning that she plans to return to Venezuela despite the inherent dangers. Speaking to the British network BBC, she declared her commitment to her cause, emphasizing the importance of her presence in her homeland. Machado made these statements following a covert trip to Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize 2025. Although she arrived late to the ceremony on Wednesday, she took the time to connect with her supporters at the Grand Hotel in Oslo later that night. "Of course I am going to return. I know exactly the risks I run. I will be in the place where I can be most useful for our cause," she stated during the interview broadcasted today. Machado conveyed that, until recently, she believed her place was Venezuela, but now identifies Oslo as essential to her mission. After appearing on her hotel balcony where she was met with chants of 'brave' and the Venezuelan national anthem, she shared heartfelt emotions about reuniting with her loved ones. "For more than 16 months, I have not been able to hug or touch anyone. Suddenly, in a matter of hours, I was able to see the people I love the most, touch them, cry and pray together," Machado expressed, encapsulating the profound joy and urgency of her journey. The backdrop of her situation highlights a consistently perilous political landscape. For over 16 months, Machado has been vocal about the criminal nature of Nicolás Maduro's government, which she claims involves serious crimes, including drug trafficking and human trafficking. "We need to address this regime not as a conventional dictatorship but as a criminal structure," she asserted, urging the international community to intervene in cutting off criminal financial flows that support the Venezuelan regime. Despite facing accusations of conspiracy and terrorism from Venezuelan authorities, Machado remains undaunted. She highlighted the risks she undertook to arrive in Oslo, including traveling from Venezuela to Curaçao and ultimately to the United States and Norway aboard a fishing boat, an escape facilitated by a discreet network aimed at helping citizens flee the country. This operation was so secretive that even the Nobel Institute was unaware of her travel plans. Reflecting on her experiences and the underlying situation in Venezuela, Machado commented on the urgency of their struggle, stating, "The Venezuelan government says I am a terrorist and that I have to spend the rest of my life in prison. They are after me." She emphasized her readiness to lead a transition government in Venezuela and expressed willingness to meet with Maduro's team, should they seek a peaceful resolution, a proposal they ultimately rejected. With the backdrop of an upcoming presidential election in July 2024, the opposition maintains that they won the last election, which Maduro manipulated. Although Machado was barred from participating in the last elections, she continues to galvanize support against authoritarian rule, which she describes as a regime seeking to silence dissent. The world watches as she prepares to brave her return, firmly believing that her efforts can inspire change and unify Venezuelans in their quest for democracy. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3