Speaking in Panama City alongside fellow Venezuelan opposition figures, Machado said the opposition remained focused on securing free and fair elections in which Venezuelans both inside and outside the country could participate.

Her comments come more than four months after a major shift in United States policy toward Venezuela, when the administration of Donald Trump moved away from supporting Machado and instead engaged with figures linked to Venezuela’s ruling establishment following the capture of then-president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, according to the source material.

Machado has lived in exile since December after emerging from nearly a year in hiding inside Venezuela and traveling to Norway, where she received the Nobel Peace Prize. She said she hopes to return to her country before the end of next year.

The opposition leader stressed that any credible presidential election would require significant institutional reforms, including the appointment of politically neutral electoral authorities, updated voter registration systems and guarantees allowing opposition candidates to compete without state interference.

According to Machado, organizing a democratic presidential election under such conditions would require between seven and nine months of preparation.

The political timetable remains unclear. Venezuela’s constitution requires a presidential election within 30 days if a president becomes permanently unable to serve, but U.S. officials have recently downplayed expectations for an imminent vote while expressing support for acting president Delcy Rodríguez, whose government has expanded access for American investment in Venezuela’s oil sector amid elevated global energy prices.

Machado emerged as Maduro’s most prominent challenger in recent years but was barred by authorities from contesting the 2024 presidential election. In response, she endorsed former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia as the opposition’s candidate.

Following that election, authorities aligned with the ruling party declared Maduro the winner shortly after polls closed. However, Machado’s campaign maintained that collected voting records showed González had won by a margin exceeding two-to-one.

Asked about a future presidential contest, Machado said she welcomed competition within the opposition and would be prepared to face any rival in what she described as a transparent and legitimate election.

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

Machado made the remarks at a news conference in Madrid, where she said Trump had “risked the lives of his country’s citizens for Venezuela’s freedom,” referring to a U.S. military operation earlier this year that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The opposition leader had presented the medal to Trump during a January meeting at the White House, shortly after the operation in Caracas. The gesture drew international attention, particularly as Trump has long expressed interest in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified at the time that while a medal can change hands, the Nobel Peace Prize itself cannot be transferred, revoked, or shared, and remains formally awarded to Machado.

Machado said the U.S. intervention was something “Venezuelans will never forget,” adding that her decision to give Trump the medal was deliberate. “Consequently, no, I have no regrets,” she said.

She also confirmed ongoing coordination with Washington regarding her planned return to Venezuela, describing the relationship as based on “mutual respect and understanding.” Machado added that she sees the United States as central to advancing a democratic transition in the country.

Her comments come as Venezuela’s opposition calls for new presidential elections following Maduro’s removal from power. Machado, who was barred from running in the 2024 election, has not yet confirmed whether she would contest any future vote.