Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has called for elections after returning to the country following nearly a year in exile. She said the transition in Venezuela's government would be "irreversible, organised, pacific." The statement renews pressure on the ruling administration over the country's political future.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to the country after spending nearly a year in exile, immediately calling on the government to move toward new elections. She said any transition in Venezuela's governance needed to be "irreversible, organised, pacific." Machado's return comes amid years of political tension and economic hardship in Venezuela. The opposition has long disputed the outcomes of previous elections, while the government has rejected those claims. Her remarks have renewed international attention on the country's democratic process and the prospects for a negotiated path forward.

Observers say the opposition leader's return could increase pressure on the ruling administration at a sensitive moment. How Venezuela's political situation develops in the coming weeks is being closely watched by neighbouring governments and international institutions with a stake in regional stability.