Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, remains outside the country after departing in December 2025 to claim the award, following Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces in January 2026. In recent May interviews, she stated that her return is now planned much sooner than the end of 2026, with active coordination alongside the U.S. government focused on security and logistics. This timing hinges on the pace of Venezuela's political transition, including calls for accelerated elections to avoid unrest, as well as opposition efforts to consolidate influence ahead of any formal re-entry. Traders are monitoring statements from Machado and U.S. officials, alongside developments in Caracas that could either enable or delay her arrival.