U.S. lawmakers from both parties are calling on Venezuela's government to guarantee the safety of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and to move swiftly toward free and fair elections, following her return to the country after nearly a year abroad.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described Machado's return as “welcome news” in a statement posted Monday to X. “This is an encouraging step forward,” Shaheen said. “The Trump Administration and the Delcy Rodriguez regime must now ensure her safety and swiftly advance toward elections and a democratic transition.”
Machado, who leads the center-right Vente Venezuela party, announced her return on Sunday. She has long pushed for presidential elections next year and has indicated she intends to run for the country's highest office, challenging the ruling United Socialist Party, which has held power for nearly three decades. In a February interview on CBS's “Face the Nation,” she said, “I will be president when the time comes. But it doesn't matter. That should be decided in elections by the Venezuelan people.”
Her return comes amid a delicate political moment. The Trump administration has backed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, a key figure in the ruling party, after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife earlier this year. The administration has been engaged in a transition process, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading diplomatic efforts. Rubio has cautioned Machado against street protests as the transition unfolds.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for her efforts to prove that fellow opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez was the verified winner of Venezuela's 2024 presidential election. She later presented the award to President Trump during a January White House meeting, a gesture that has drawn attention.
Asked by CNN's Julia Benbrook about Machado's return—which he said he was unaware of at the time—Trump responded, “I don't know anything about it, but I think she's a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize, so how can I say anything else? And I hope she's safe.”
Democratic leaders also voiced strong support. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Machado's return a “moment long awaited by the people of Venezuela” in a Tuesday post on X. “When I met with [Machado], we talked about the importance of a democratic Venezuela, and the need for free and fair elections,” Schumer wrote. “Venezuelans deserve the right to elect their president—there is no time to waste.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) echoed that sentiment on Monday, calling the return “welcome news that should decidedly move the country toward a clear path to free & fair elections next year.”
Republicans also celebrated her return and demanded assurances for her safety. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) called Machado the “legitimate leader of the Venezuelan people” in a Monday post, adding, “Her safety & wellbeing is of the utmost importance. Delcy & Jorge's pathetic dictatorship will stop at nothing to undermine and intimidate her. They will be held directly responsible for any harm that comes Maria Corina's way.”
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) urged on Sunday evening that Machado's “safety must be guaranteed at all times,” and added, “Today's event is a sign that the transition process is advancing, and that freedom and democracy in Venezuela are closer than ever. The Venezuelan people are not alone.”
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) framed the return as a “pivotal moment” for U.S. policy. “As Secretary Rubio works toward securing free and fair elections, Maria has returned home,” Scott wrote Monday. “We are so close to a free, democratic, Venezuela – a nation which acts as a partner to the U.S. and asset to our national and economic security instead of a threat in our own backyard. This is what America First looks like in action.”
The bipartisan pressure underscores the high stakes as Venezuela's political future hangs in the balance. With midterm elections approaching, Democrats are positioning themselves on foreign policy even as the administration pursues its own transition strategy. The coming weeks will test whether Machado's return can translate into tangible democratic progress.
