Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was reportedly blocked from entering her homeland three separate times over 24 hours, according to her team.
Machado has been in exile in Panama since being smuggled out of the country in December 2025 to accept her Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the rapid liberalization of the country under interim President Delcy Rodriguez, including the mass release of political prisoners, Machado has been barred from returning on numerous occasions. Her latest concerted attempt occurred on Tuesday, when she tried several different avenues of return, according to AFP.
“During the last 24 hours, María Corina Machado has been denied entry into Venezuela three times,” senior adviser David Smolansky told several outlets in a Wednesday statement. “She has attempted to enter the country by air and sea but has been turned away each time.”
Following the latest refusals, Machado has been denied reentry into Venezuela seven times since last December, according to ABC.
Unidad Venezuela, the country’s democratic opposition party, condemned Machado’s barring from the country and demanded she be immediately granted the right to return.
“We reject this situation and demand that, immediately, her right to return to Venezuela, remain in her country, and exercise her political and civil rights with freedom and security be fully respected,” it said, extending the demand to all other exiles.
“The safe return of exiles and persecuted political figures is a fundamental condition for the recovery of democracy in Venezuela,” the coalition added.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino declined to weigh in on the matter when asked by NTN24, saying, “It’s a problem for the Venezuelans, not mine.”
Machado remains stuck in a tight spot — despite previous U.S. support, Washington’s overt preference for the newly placable Rodriguez government has stripped her of her best shot at power. Mulino’s disinterest suggests that the rest of the region is following Washington’s lead.
IN FOCUS: MACHADO’S TWO-FRONT WAR FOR LEGITIMACY
Rodriguez got a warm welcome in New York City, where she traveled for the U.N. General Assembly. Some analysts suspected Machado’s attempts to enter Venezuela were a bid to take advantage of Rodriguez’s absence.
Rodriguez met with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the assembly, posing for a friendly picture with him alongside words of praise for his help.