Venezuelan opposition coalition reaffirms Maria Corina Machado as leader

An alliance of Venezuelan opposition parties met in Caracas on Sunday and reaffirmed its support for exiled Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado as its leader. Al Jazeera reported that members of the Unitary Democratic Platform agreed to recognize Machado and renewed their demands for free elections following contested votes in 2018 and 2024. [1]

The opposition coalition issued a statement containing 14 proposals for a democratic transition. According to Al Jazeera, these measures call for the freedom of political parties, the release of all political prisoners, and the safe return of citizens living in exile. Machado has petitioned for new elections and requested permission to return to Venezuela. [1]

Machado previously served as a member of the National Assembly from 2011 to 2014 and emerged as a prominent opponent of former presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro. She received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Following military strikes by the United States in 2026, Machado gifted her Nobel medal to United States President Donald Trump. [7]

The political realignment follows major international conflict earlier in the year. On January 3, 2026, the United States launched Operation Absolute Resolve, bombing Venezuelan infrastructure and capturing Maduro in Caracas. US forces transported Maduro to New York City to face drug trafficking charges, leaving the nation in political transition. [8]