Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to return to her country, including three in less than 24 hours this week, after a boat trip and two charter flights from Panama were canceled or denied authorization, according to her advisers and journalists who accompanied her.
According to reports from Spanish newspaper ABC, the latest attempts took place on September 21 and 22, as Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, traveled to New York for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Machado's international relations adviser, Pedro Urruchurtu, confirmed the failed journeys in a statement on X, saying the opposition leader had attempted to travel by sea and air from Panama without success.
Los siete intentos de @MariaCorinaYA para regresar a Venezuela, que bien resume la nota de @alandete para @abc_es.
— Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli (@Urruchurtu) September 23, 2026
Todos los intentos han sido bloqueados, negándole a la líder de todos los venezolanos regresar a su propio país. pic.twitter.com/vVSYYgM4bH
The first attempt involved a small recreational vessel that was supposed to leave Panama, cross the Panama Canal and sail through the Caribbean toward Venezuela.
Spanish journalist David Alandete, who accompanied Machado and her team during the operation, told N+ Univision that preparations for the maritime journey had been completed and the passengers' immigration documents had already been stamped.
However, just hours before departure, the company operating the vessel canceled the trip, citing mechanical problems.
The cancellation prompted Machado's team to pursue an alternative route through Aruba, one of the Dutch Caribbean islands off the Venezuelan coast.
A private charter flight was arranged for Tuesday morning, with plans to continue the journey to Venezuela by boat. That aircraft never took off. According to Alandete, administrative objections prevented the flight from departing, and Aruba ultimately refused landing authorization.
The team then organized a third attempt that afternoon, this time involving a flight to Curaçao, another Dutch Caribbean island close to Venezuela.
That flight was also unsuccessful.
A flight manifest obtained by the Spanish newspaper ABC showed Machado among the passengers scheduled to travel from Panama City to Curaçao. The aircraft, however, never departed.
The latest cancellations bring the number of failed return attempts to at least seven, according to Machado's political team. The opposition leader has been outside Venezuela since December 2025, when she secretly left the country to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway after spending nearly a year in hiding.
The previous attempts included a flight from Virginia to Curaçao on June 26, shortly after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela. According to Machado's team, the pilot was instructed to turn back without an explanation.
Two days later, the opposition leader reportedly purchased a commercial ticket on Copa Airlines for a direct flight from Panama to Caracas. Her team alleges that the airline was warned by Venezuelan authorities that transporting Machado could jeopardize its operating permits in the country. She was subsequently denied boarding.
Other attempts during the summer involved alternative routes by land, sea and air, although her team has not publicly disclosed all the details.
The difficulties have been compounded by Machado's travel documents. Her Venezuelan passport expired years ago, and Panama provided her with a special travel document to facilitate international travel. That document does not grant her Panamanian citizenship.
New in @abc_es: María Corina Machado faced obstacles to international travel because she lacked a valid Venezuelan passport. To help her travel safely Panama issued her a special diplomatic passport on humanitarian grounds, and strictly as a safe-conduct document… not as a path… pic.twitter.com/HFaLK3Qr7G
— David Alandete (@alandete) September 23, 2026
The repeated cancellations have prompted journalists traveling with Machado to question whether political pressure is preventing her from leaving Panama.
Idania Chirinos, an NTN24 journalist who witnessed the latest attempts, described the opposition leader as effectively trapped in the Central American country. However, Chirinos subsequently clarified that she was not accusing the Panamanian government of restricting Machado's movements. On the contrary, she said Panama had provided protection and assistance, including the special travel document.
“La Premio Nobel de la Paz está presa en Panamá”, denuncia la periodista @IdaniaChirinos desde Panamá. Desde allí, confirma que hoy impidieron el séptimo intento de María Corina Machado para ingresar a Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/Om2FZm1HNs
— Vente Venezuela (@VenteVenezuela) September 23, 2026
The allegations of interference come amid conflicting accounts of Washington's position on Machado's return.
Reuters previously reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that U.S. officials privately urged Machado to postpone her return after the June earthquakes and opposed her efforts to reenter Venezuela.
Trump denied having instructed her not to return, while U.S. officials have publicly acknowledged her right to enter her own country.
Machado, who has not been included in the U.S.-backed transition negotiations, has repeatedly said she intends to return to Venezuela to reorganize her political movement and press for new elections.
For now, she remains in Panama, with no confirmed date for another departure.
