Phoenix 24
A political return still requires credible guarantees.
Washington | July 2026
The United States has said it will not obstruct María Corina Machado’s eventual return to Venezuela, although American officials acknowledge that she could still face detention upon arrival. Washington maintains that Machado has the right to reenter her country and has requested guarantees for her personal safety and political participation.
The statement comes as Venezuela advances a reconciliation process involving the authorities led by Delcy Rodríguez and sectors connected to the opposition-controlled National Assembly elected in 2015. The proposed agenda includes institutional reforms, electoral conditions and protections for political actors, but Machado’s movement has not assumed a central role in the negotiations.
Her possible return therefore remains politically and legally uncertain. An amnesty or protection mechanism would need to prevent detention, prosecution or restrictions intended to remove her from public life. Without enforceable guarantees, returning could expose one of Venezuela’s most influential opposition figures to immediate state pressure.
The case will test whether the emerging process represents genuine democratic openness or only a controlled reorganization of the opposition. Washington may recognize Machado’s right to return, but Venezuelan institutions will determine whether she can participate freely. A transition cannot be considered inclusive while prominent political adversaries remain vulnerable to imprisonment.
El regreso solo es libertad cuando no conduce a una celda. / Return is freedom only when it does not lead to a cell.