Panama City, Panama – Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado arrived at Tocumen International Airport on Thursday evening. She begins a four-day official and community visit to Panama.
Machado expressed excitement about reuniting with the large Venezuelan community living in Panama. “I am very happy to be here in Panama, where I know I will meet many Venezuelans,” she told reporters as she stepped off the plane. She was accompanied by a delegation from the Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD). [Translated from Spanish]
Her visit carries deep symbolic weight. Machado specifically referenced the Venezuelan electoral records stored in Panama for safekeeping. “You have our electoral records here, our treasure, which is the expression of the will, of sovereignty,” she said. [Translated from Spanish]
“Behind those records there are entire lives, people who risked everything, who fought, who cried to protect them. When we felt they were at risk in Venezuela, we looked for a country that would represent that second home, that would take care of them, that would protect them. And that country is Panama.”
Machado said she came to offer gratitude to the Panamanian people. She also expressed hope that she could eventually take her people and the records back to Venezuela.
Weekend Events and Community Outreach
The opposition coalition’s trip to Panama is part of an international tour. The goal is to consolidate global support and coordinate efforts for a Democratic transition in Venezuela. Official activities begin Saturday, May 23, with a massive citizen assembly.
Machado has called on the Venezuelan community and “all lovers of democracy” to gather at Avenida Cuba at 4:00 p.m. She will analyze the current situation in the Caribbean nation alongside members of the Venezuelan diaspora. Sunday, May 24, will be reserved for internal work sessions and strategy alignment with various opposition leaders abroad.
High-Level Meeting with Panamanian Government
The institutional visit reaches its climax on Monday, May 25. Machado and the PUD delegation will hold a high-level meeting at the Palacio de las Garzas with President José Raúl Mulino. Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha will also attend the meeting.
The discussions will cover key topics. These include the Venezuelan democratic crisis, regional migration flows, and institutional mechanisms to support a transparent electoral process. This visit marks a new milestone in Machado’s international journey.
She has been outside Venezuela since December. This follows an extended period in hiding due to threats of arrest. Despite tensions and her recent participation in the Global Conference 2026 in Los Angeles, the opposition leader insists on maintaining an active foreign agenda. She has announced plans for an eventual return to her country.