Venezuela's Machado vows another run for presidency and eyes return from exile before end of 2026

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) — Venezuela's Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado announced Saturday that she plans to run for president again and intends to return to her home country before the end of 2026.

Machado's remarks, made while meeting in Panama with several fellow Venezuelan opposition leaders, come more than four months after the stunning White House decision to sideline her and instead work with a Venezuelan ruling party loyalist following the U.S. military’s capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Machado has been in exile since December, when she emerged from 11 months in hiding somewhere in Venezuela and traveled to Norway where she was honored with the Nobel Prize.

She told reporters in Panama City that she and the other gathered opposition leaders remain committed to a democratic transition “through free and fair presidential elections, where all Venezuelans inside and outside the country vote.”

Still, it is unclear when Venezuela will hold a presidential election.

U.S. President Donald Trump and senior administration officials have praised Maduro’s successor, acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has thrown open Venezuela’s oil industry to U.S. investment at a time of surging oil prices tied to the war in Iran.

The Trump administration has also dampened talk of elections, which are required by Venezuela’s constitution within 30 days of the president becoming “permanently unavailable.”

An election with democratic conditions would take between seven and nine months of planning, Machado said. Necessary changes include the appointment of neutral electoral authorities, voting registration updates and the ability of opposition candidates to run for office without government interference.

Machado rose to become Maduro’s strongest opponent in recent years, but his government barred her from running for office in the 2024 presidential election, leading her to choose retired ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia to represent her on the ballot.

Officials loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner mere hours after the polls closed, but Machado’s well-organized campaign collected evidence showing González had defeated Maduro by a margin of more than 2-to-1.

On Saturday, Machado told reporters she would run against any other presidential hopeful in “an impeccable election.”

“I will be a candidate, but there may be others, of course,” she said. “I would love to compete with everyone, with anyone who wants to be a candidate.”

Venezuela's opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez looks at opposition leader Maria Corina Machado during a press conference in Panama City, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, center right, speaks during a press conference in Panama City, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuela's opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez, right, looks at opposition leader Maria Corina Machado after a press conference in Panama City, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, center, attends a press conference in Panama City, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado attends a press conference in Panama City, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts singled in the go-ahead run with two strikes in the eighth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night in the series finale.

Betts ended the nine-pitch at-bat with his hit to center off Rockies reliever Antonio Senzatela (8-1) that scored Tommy Edman, who singled and moved to third on Freddie Freeman's double.

The Dodgers took two of three to prevent Colorado from winning its first series at Dodger Stadium since August 2021.

The Rockies loaded the bases against reliever Alex Vesia in the eighth, but Edgardo Henriquez (4-0) came in and got Kyle Karros to fly out for the third out.

Tanner Scott retired the side in the ninth to earn his 13th save.

Colorado’s Gabriel Hughes had a rough first inning in his first major league start. The 24-year-old right-hander gave up three runs, with Tommy Edman singling and scoring on Hughes’ wild pitch and a two-run RBI single by Kyle Tucker.

Hughes then settled down and retired 15 consecutive batters before Max Muncy’s double in the sixth. The Alaska native retired Shohei Ohtani three times, including a strikeout. Ohtani struck out a second time in the eighth on his bobblehead night after homering in the first two games of the series.

The Rockies answered with three runs to tie it at 3.

Karros and Edouard Julien hit solo shots off Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki in the second. Brett Sullivan walked, took second on Sasaki’s wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Mickey Moniak’s sacrifice fly in the third.

Sasaki gave up three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Rockies: RHP Ryan Feltner (3-2, 4.27 ERA) starts Thursday against San Francisco LHP Robbie Ray (8-6, 3.45).

Dodgers: After an off day for Los Angeles, Ohtani (8-2, 1.79) starts Friday against Arizona in the series opener.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Colorado Rockies right fielder Troy Johnston can't handle a ball hit for a single by Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts, right, hits an RBI single as Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela, left, reacts during the eighth inning of a baseball Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Colorado Rockies' Edouard Julien, right, heads to second for a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman stands by during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Colorado Rockies' Kyle Karros, right, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo watches during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)