AssetID: 56102651
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado Returns After Months In Exile
Caption: Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado Returns After Months In Exile. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned home after more than 10 months in exile, declaring on social media: "I am here. With you”. Machado attended Mass in the state of Lara before travelling towards Caracas in a caravan surrounded by cheering supporters. Her return followed several previous unsuccessful attempts to re-enter Venezuela after she left the country to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Machado’s return comes months after former President Nicolás Maduro was seized by U.S. forces and his deputy, interim President Delcy Rodríguez, took power. Machado won an opposition presidential primary in 2023 but was barred from running against Maduro in the 2024 election, with ally Edmundo González standing in her place. The opposition disputed Maduro's declared 2024 victory and argued González had won, publishing copies of voting tallies to support its claim. Machado has previously said she would run for president again if another election were held, while her spokesperson described her return as a step towards new elections. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said her return resulted from U.S.-backed reconciliation talks that had also enabled political prisoners to be freed and opposition figures to return. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,María Corina Machado,Venezuela,Caracas,Nicolás Maduro,Delcy Rodríguez,Edmundo González,Marco Rubio,Venezuelan opposition,Nobel Peace Prize,political exile
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