Venezuelans rally for opposition leader’s return and presidential elections

What the report says

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado held rallies across the country on Sunday, including in Caracas and in state capitals such as Valencia, Maracaibo and Merida, to demand her safe return and new presidential elections. The demonstrations featured motorcycles, party colors and Venezuelan flags, according to Al Jazeera’s report.

The article says Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the Vente Venezuela party, has been living outside the country for about nine months, with several attempts to return unsuccessful. Her supporters accuse the government of preventing her from coming back, while authorities deny that claim. Party members also said she made three failed attempts to return on Monday night.

Al Jazeera reported that Machado remains one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures. She was barred from the last presidential race, and her replacement on the ballot was widely believed by the opposition to have won, although the government declared victory. That election was followed by a crackdown on dissent that drove Machado and other opposition figures into hiding.

The story comes amid a broader political standoff in Venezuela, where late last week more than three dozen political prisoners were released after US-backed talks. Venezuela’s current government has also signaled openness to future elections, though no date has been announced.