Key facts
- Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after nearly a year away.
- US supports negotiations between the Rodriguez government and opposition groups excluding Machado's movement.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Machado's safe return was a direct outcome of negotiations.
- The EU urged an inclusive, Venezuelan-led dialogue towards free and fair elections.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado returned to the country on Sunday after nearly a year away, facing a delicate political situation. Her return risks straining ties with the US administration, which is backing a negotiation process between the interim government led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez and other opposition groups that do not include Machado's Vente Venezuela movement. Machado supporters welcomed her return, eager for elections. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Machado's safe return was a direct outcome of the ongoing negotiations, and the EU echoed sentiments for an inclusive dialogue towards free and fair elections.