Venezuelans rally to demand opposition leader's safe return and presidential elections

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado took to the country's streets on Sunday to demand her safe return and presidential elections that could lead to a democratic transition in Venezuela. The government has been widely accused of stealing elections, jailing dissidents and stifling freedom of speech.

In Caracas, hundreds of activists in sky blue shirts — the color of Machado’s Vente Venezuela party — rode motorcycles and drove through the city’s main avenues, honking their horns and waving Venezuelan flags. Similar demonstrations were held in state capitals including Valencia, Maracaibo and Merida.

“This is not a matter of parties or politics,” said Flavio Valentini, a Vente Venezuela activist in Caracas who grabbed a megaphone and addressed the crowd. “This is a movement for the people and by the people.”

Machado has been living in exile for the past nine months, and has had her plans to return to Venezuela spoiled multiple times. Opposition activists have accused Venezuela's government of blocking her return, a claim denied by Venezuelan authorities.

Machado's party said this week that on Monday night, the opposition leader made three unsuccessful attempts to return.

“We hope this transition process leads us to presidential elections and consolidates a free, democratic country that will be the main ally of the United States,” said Anthony Romero, a leader for Vente Venezuela in the nation's capital.

Machado, one of Venezuela’s most popular political leaders, was barred from running in Venezuela’s last presidential election by courts under the control of former President Nicolás Maduro. But her stand-in candidate is widely believed to have won the election with almost two thirds of the vote .

Maduro claimed victory nevertheless, and unleashed a violent crackdown against dissidents who protested the official results, forcing Machado and dozens of opposition leaders to go into hiding.

Last year, Machado smuggled herself out of Venezuela after she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to restore democracy in the South American country. A U.S. military operation removed Maduro in January . But Machado has been unable to return to Venezuela since then. The government is now led by Delcy Rodríguez, a Maduro ally who has opened Venezuela’s oil industry to foreign investment and is now working closely with the Trump administration.

Machado’s team said Monday that the opposition leader, who is now based in Panama, attempted to return to Venezuela by sea, but the company that chartered her boat canceled the trip hours before leaving, alleging its vessel was unfit for navigation. Machado later tried to fly to Curacao, her team said, from where she could take a speed boat to Venezuela, but her plane was denied landing permits. In total, Machado has made seven unsuccessful attempts to return to Venezuela this year, her party says, with some critics questioning whether the Trump administration is also involved in the efforts to stop her from returning.

Trump administration officials deny they are holding Machado back, but have said that on some occasions they have advised that she not return to the country due to safety concerns.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a news conference that Machado has “every right to enter her country whenever she wants to return.” On Wednesday, Rubio said he was unaware of Machado’s most recent efforts to go back to the South American country.

Rubio said the United States would like to see thousands of Venezuelans return to their country and “open the businesses that they lost.” The Secretary of State has long argued that before holding new elections, Venezuela must stabilize its economy and rebuild its institutions, like its courts and its electoral council.

Associated Press writer Manuel Rueda contributed from Bogota, Colombia.