María Corina Machado's Return to Venezuela

María Corina Machado, Venezuela's main opposition leader, is coordinating her return to the country with the United States. This move aims to channel Venezuelans' desire for democracy and an electoral process, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces in early January. Her arrival will test the tolerance of interim President Delcy Rodríguez's government, which has been approving new energy legislation and releasing political prisoners to open the economy. The United States is easing oil and financial sanctions on Venezuela to help reinsert the country into financial markets and secure oil production, especially due to energy disruptions from the Iran war. Machado has been touring Europe, meeting with leaders like Emmanuel Macron, Rob Jetten, and Giorgia Meloni, while declining to meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who supports Rodríguez.