The Venezuelan opposition confirmed Maria Corina Machado as its leader and insisted on holding free presidential elections. The decision was made on October 18 in Caracas by the Platform for Democratic Unity - the main coalition of opposition parties in the country.
In the adopted statement, the coalition states that it recognizes and supports the leadership of Maria Corina Machado. The document contains 14 proposals for a democratic transition, including freedom for political parties, the release of political prisoners and the safe return of Venezuelans who have left the country.
“The will of the Venezuelan people must once again determine the fate of our nation,“ said former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, supporting the proposals.Elections not yet scheduled
Venezuela still does not have a date for new presidential elections. The country is run by the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez, and Washington supports a plan that puts stabilization and economic recovery before a political transition.
Machado told the “Financial Times“ that she wants elections to be held by July 2027. “The US government and the Venezuelan people agree that the only way for this to be sustainable and to become a real victory is for Venezuela to become a stable democracy,“ she said.
Machado remains out of the talks
Her confirmation of leadership comes amid talks between the interim government and part of the opposition, in which Machado is not participating. The third round of talks in Caracas includes representatives of the 2015 National Assembly, which was dominated by the opposition and subsequently dissolved under Nicolás Maduro.
Machado has said she will not block the process if it leads to the restoration of democratic institutions, the release of political prisoners and the scheduling of elections. However, she remains outside the country. Her party, Vente Venezuela, said Venezuelan authorities had thwarted several of her attempts to return.
Maria Corina Machado left Venezuela in December 2025 to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to her for her fight for democratic rights and a peaceful transition. She won the opposition primary in October 2023, but in January 2024 a court upheld a 15-year ban on holding public office. In the 2024 presidential election, her place as the candidate of the united opposition was taken by Edmundo Gonzalez.
Sources: aljazeera.com, elpais.com, investing.com