Venezuela: María Corina Machado's return and the acting president's reaction

Return after ten months abroad

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to the country on Sunday after more than 10 months abroad. She arrived from Barquisimeto to Caracas, where she was greeted by supporters. Anadolu reported.

The authorities' reaction: a 'show' and a call for dialogue

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Monday called the opposition figure's return a 'show' and urged her to 'step away from the show and engage in politics as something very serious.' She accused Machado of harming Venezuela through calls for international sanctions and foreign interference, and said she hoped to see 'repentance' from her. At the same time, Rodríguez denied the existence of political persecution in the country, noting that she herself had 'been subjected to political persecution along with my family.'

Talks without Machado's party

Rodríguez endorsed the ongoing negotiations between government representatives and opposition factions, calling on opposition figures to take part in the process rather than stage public demonstrations. Machado's party Vente Venezuela is not represented in the talks, which has drawn criticism from opposition figures who believe it should have a role in the process. Machado herself said she would not obstruct the dialogue, while her allies are demanding broader opposition representation.

The US role and uncertainty over the elections

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that Machado's return had been made possible by reconciliation efforts backed by Washington. The talks are taking place against the backdrop of attempts to reshape Venezuela's political institutions and prepare eventual elections, but no voting date has yet been set. Machado's return, according to Anadolu, has once again drawn attention to the opposition's role in the political transition and to the prospects for negotiations between competing political groups.