Maria Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday, appearing at a church in the state of Lara after ten months abroad. On Dec. 11, the National Assembly is scheduled to receive the names of 32 new Supreme Court magistrates who could determine the rules governing Venezuela’s next election. Machado’s return threatens to turn what might have been a controlled institutional exercise into a national political confrontation.
Venezuelans understand the importance of the Tribunal Supremo de Justicia. In January 2024, the court upheld Machado’s 15-year disqualification from public office. Seven months later, its electoral chamber validated Nicolas Maduro’s disputed presidential victory without publicly producing the underlying tally sheets. With magistrates serving 12-year terms, the new court could adjudicate Machado’s eligibility, electoral disputes, and the next presidential election.
