Today the heart_of_the_editor is the return of Machado Maria Machado back to Caracas. On the roof of the car, with a flag, between ours. María Corina Machado is an engineer, former deputy, leader of the Venezuelan Venta party, and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In 2023, she won the opposition primary, but was denied the right to run, giving way to Gonzalez. Treason cases are underway against her in Venezuela - her return officially means the status of a "fugitive from justice". The context is contradictory. The Reuters news agency writes that the trip was agreed with the United States. But Trump said he "knows nothing" and made it clear that Washington's bet is on interim President Rodriguez. Foreign Minister Rubio, on the contrary, called the return the result of negotiations with the support of the United States - in which Machado herself did not participate. Gonzalez promises to join soon. There are still too many different signals to talk about anything definite. The interim government promised to hold elections but did not set a date. The opposition demands that deadlines be set and political prisoners be released; On October 22, demonstrations were held in Caracas and other cities with these demands. Machado's party hopes to hold elections in 2027 and be allowed to participate in them. However, the country she returns to is not the same as before. It is most likely a game where several parties place bets at the same time. Machado's return may be part of a secret deal brokered by the United States, Panama and Colombia: she is allowed to return in exchange for non-interference in the affairs of the interim government. But Trump has publicly distanced himself, which means Washington doesn't want to openly support her and clash with Rodriguez. Another option: Machado returns to mobilize the opposition around him and put pressure on the authorities regarding the timing of the elections - Gonzalez promises to join soon. In any case, there will likely be no chaos, but the 2025 stalemate is unlikely to last.

Today the heart_of_the_editor is the return of Machado Maria Machado back to Caracas. On the roof of the car, with a flag, between ours. María Corina Machado is an engineer, former deputy, leader of the Venezuelan Venta party, and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In 2023, she won the opposition primary, but was denied the right to run, giving way to Gonzalez. Treason cases are underway against her in Venezuela - her return officially means the status of a "fugitive from justice". The context is contradictory. The Reuters news agency writes that the trip was agreed with the United States. But Trump said he "knows nothing" and made it clear that Washington's bet is on interim President Rodriguez. Foreign Minister Rubio, on the contrary, called the return the result of negotiations with the support of the United States - in which Machado herself did not participate. Gonzalez promises to join soon. There are still too many different signals to talk about anything definite. The interim government promised to hold elections but did not set a date. The opposition demands that deadlines be set and political prisoners be released; On October 22, demonstrations were held in Caracas and other cities with these demands. Machado's party hopes to hold elections in 2027 and be allowed to participate in them. However, the country she returns to is not the same as before. It is most likely a game where several parties place bets at the same time. Machado's return may be part of a secret deal brokered by the United States, Panama and Colombia: she is allowed to return in exchange for non-interference in the affairs of the interim government. But Trump has publicly distanced himself, which means Washington doesn't want to openly support her and clash with Rodriguez. Another option: Machado returns to mobilize the opposition around him and put pressure on the authorities regarding the timing of the elections - Gonzalez promises to join soon. In any case, there will likely be no chaos, but the 2025 stalemate is unlikely to last.