Third time (un)lucky

Machado was last in her home country in December 2025, when a US private security team smuggled her out to accept her Nobel Prize in Norway. Before that, she had been in hiding for over a year, after a crackdown on political opposition following deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed election victory in 2024. Her team said she was “denied entry” to Venezuela three times this week, while Colombian NTN24 said a sea-bound attempt was ended by mechanical failures, while two flights were denied permission to fly from Panama. The unsuccessful odyssey is the latest obstacle in Machado’s attempt to participate in the transition of power after Maduro’s ouster and abduction by US forces in January. This week, she told the Wall Street Journal, “it is time” for her to return home.