An alliance of Venezuelan Opposition parties on Sunday (October 18, 2026) confirmed exiled Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado as its leader, increasing pressure on interim authorities to allow her return.
The coalition’s announcement comes as one Opposition faction engages in political transition talks with the interim government, following the U.S. ouster of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro. Ms. The agreement comes as the government and a faction of the opposition hold their third round of U.S.-backed talks in Caracas. Ms.
Machado has been in exile since she covertly left Venezuela in 2025 to receive her Nobel Peace Prize.
She has tried at least seven times to return home but has been blocked by Venezuelan authorities, according to her party. Machado has not been invited to participate, though she has said she will not obstruct the process.
Members of the Opposition’s Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD) agreed to “recognise and support the leadership of Maria Corina Machado,” who is currently living in Panama, according to the final document presented at the conclusion of a meeting in Caracas.
