The Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD), an alliance of Venezuelan opposition parties, has issued a declaration reaffirming its commitment to exiled Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado as its leader. The decision was reached during a meeting in Caracas on Sunday, where members agreed to "recognise and support the leadership of Maria Corina Machado".
The coalition also renewed its demand for free elections in Venezuela, following the disputed presidential votes in 2024 and 2018. The statement included 14 proposals for a democratic transition, which call for freedom for political parties, the release of all political prisoners, and the safe return of exiles.
Former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who was the opposition's candidate in the 2024 race after Machado was barred from running, threw his support behind the proposals. "The will of the Venezuelans must once again govern the destiny of our nation," he wrote on social media. "We will not accept political prisoners, persecution or a governing power that disregards the mandate of its citizens. Living in freedom and under a genuine constitutional order is a legitimate demand of our society."
Venezuela currently has no date set for a new presidential vote. Since January, the country has been led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez of the United Socialist Party (PSUV), following a US military operation that led to the capture and jailing of former President Nicolas Maduro. President Donald Trump has backed Rodriguez's leadership.
Machado has been living in exile since December 2024, when she left the country to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She has since had her attempts to return blocked by Venezuelan authorities, according to her party, Vente Venezuela. She has reportedly sought help from the Trump administration to re-enter the country. Media reports, however, have suggested friction between the Trump administration and Machado. Anonymous US officials quoted by Axios and Reuters described her efforts to return as "political opportunism", particularly following deadly earthquakes in Venezuela last July.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Machado stated she would like to see elections held in Venezuela by July 2026. "The US government and the Venezuelan people all agree that the only way to make this sustainable and a real victory is to turn Venezuela into a stable democracy," she told the newspaper.
The PSUV government has faced accusations of human rights abuses against political dissidents. A third round of talks between the Rodriguez government and the opposition began this month, though the negotiations have involved members of the dissolved 2015 National Assembly rather than Machado directly. The US State Department praised the talks as laying "the groundwork for credible elections and a democratic transition".