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Thousands March in Venezuela Demanding 2027 Elections and María Corina Machado Presidency
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Thousands of Venezuelans protest nationwide demanding presidential elections in 2027. Protesters demand elections with María Corina Machado as president.
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Caracas rallies demand 2027 vote
Thousands of Venezuelans marched in Caracas and other states of Venezuela on Thursday to demand presidential elections in 2027 and a democratic transition with opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado as president.
“We are a people determined to be free. And yes, this is what it is: just a glimpse of all that is coming.”
Machado wrote on her X account, "We are a people determined to be free. And yes, this is what it is: just a glimpse of all that is coming."
Protesters in Caracas shouted "Elections now" and gathered in a city square with leaders of the Democratic Unit Platform (PUD) and leaders of Machado’s party, Vente Venezuela (VV).
Former deputy Piero Maroun predicted, "Very soon we will have presidential elections and María Corina in the Presidency," during the rally.
VV activist Carlos Fernández described the opposition’s attributed victory to Edmundo González Urrutia in the 2024 presidential elections as a "historic feat," while the electoral body, controlled by chavismo, proclaimed Nicolás Maduro the winner without releasing detailed results.
Machado in exile, talks stall
Protesters also demanded the return of Maria Corina Machado, who the sources describe as being in exile in Panama, and the rally in Caracas centered on a presidential election as soon as possible. RFI reported that a crowd of almost 2,000 gathered at Plaza Venezuela in Caracas, where signs included “Elections NOW and this time they won’t steal from us” and “MCM Courageous,” taking the initials of the liberal opposition figure. RTL Today quoted opposition activist Erika Cedeno saying, "We are calling for presidential elections and the return of our leader Maria Corina Machado," as demonstrations continued in other cities including Tachira and Bolivar.
Vente Venezuela denounced the police arrest of seven participants, of whom it had "no news," according to a post on the X platform, while the interim president Delcy Rodríguez promised a new vote without providing a calendar. The opposition and interim government completed a new round of talks in Caracas focused on the political transition, but the sources said no concrete electoral agreement had been reached in the first three rounds of talks.
Cities join, timetable demanded
The protests spread beyond Caracas to cities named in the sources, including Valencia, Maracay, San Cristóbal and Maracaibo, as demonstrators demanded free elections and other political changes.
The Copenhagen Post said the demonstrations were organized by Vente Venezuela, the opposition party led by María Corina Machado, and it described the presence of security forces as notably thin.
In Maracay, 18-year-old student Leosmary Hernandez told the crowd, "It makes me happy to see this, because I know that change is possible," and she added, "I want my voice to be heard."
In Valencia, clothing store owner Maria Debora Marin demanded a clear election timetable, saying, "We want presidential elections now. We want a schedule for the election published now. We do not want to wait until 2028," while the ruling Socialist Party called for a march from Plaza Venezuela toward a location near the presidential palace.
The Japan Times described the protests as the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years, and it said both U.S. President Donald Trump and acting President Delcy Rodriguez had said there will be elections but had not set a date for either a legislative vote or a national contest for president.