Machado Rallies Madrid Crowd for Venezuela Elections

María Corina Machado, Venezuela's leading opposition figure and winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, rallied thousands of supporters in Madrid's Puerta del Sol on Saturday, where she received the Gold Medal of the Community of Madrid and declared the beginning of a renewed campaign for free elections in her homeland.

The event, held before a crowd waving Venezuelan flags and chanting for freedom, marked a pivotal moment for the exiled leader. Machado, addressing the diaspora estimated at over eight million worldwide, stated from the stage, "Venezuela will be free." She emphasized a "decisive phase" ahead, urging participants to unite for "clean and free elections." Regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso presented the award, introducing Machado as "Venezuela's future president" and describing Madrid as a hub for democratic causes. Ayuso added, "I am convinced you will go down in history as the first female president of Venezuela."

The medal was also awarded to opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González, who is hospitalized in Madrid; his daughter Carolina accepted it on his behalf. Machado later visited González, whose 2024 presidential bid was backed by opposition tally...