India, Jan. 6 -- Venezuela's political crisis has entered a new phase after opposition leader Maria Corina Machado vowed to return to the country and press for fresh elections following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Maria Corina Machado said that she is ready to lead a democratic transition and believes her movement can secure an overwhelming victory if Venezuelans are allowed to vote freely.

Her remarks come at a time of deep uncertainty in Caracas, with Socialist Party loyalists still holding power and Washington signalling a cautious approach to the post-Maduro transition.

Machado has made elections the centrepiece of her political message. She insists the opposition already proved its strength in 2024 and says a genuinely...