Geopolitics · Monday, 19 October 2026
Venezuela's opposition rallies around Machado as leader, demands free elections
Parties in the Unitary Democratic Platform met in Caracas on Sunday and agreed to “recognise and support” the leadership of exiled Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado, while renewing their demand for free elections after the contested 2018 and 2024 votes. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who has led the country since a US military operation removed Nicolás Maduro in January, has President Trump's backing for a three-phase plan that places stabilisation before any political transition.