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News · VenezuelaMaría Corina Machado visits La Guaira, the state hit hardest by June's earthquakes
Three days after returning to Venezuela, the opposition leader toured the areas destroyed by the June 24 double earthquake, which killed more than 6,500 people. She promised to help rebuild.
Translated from the original Spanish article. Read in Spanish
News published on October 29, 2026. The situation may have changed since then.
María Corina Machado made her first visit to La Guaira since June's earthquakes. It came three days after her return to Venezuela on October 25, 2026.
What happened in La Guaira
On June 24, 2026, a double earthquake shook Venezuela. More than 6,500 people died and some are still missing. The hardest-hit state was La Guaira, on the coast, about 40 kilometers from Caracas.
La Guaira is home to Venezuela's main airport, in Maiquetía, and to the port that supplies Caracas.
The visit
Machado spoke with affected families, residents and local security officials. Videos show many people hugging her, some in tears.
"I knew I had to be here from day one", she said. She also regretted not being able to comfort the victims sooner and promised to help rebuild the destroyed areas.
Before that, with political prisoners
A day earlier, Machado met more than 100 relatives of political prisoners and human rights groups, and called for their immediate release.
Why it matters
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 and is the best-known face of the opposition. Her return comes as Venezuela tries to rebuild after Nicolás Maduro's exit, with Delcy Rodríguez as interim president.
If you missed her return, read [how María Corina Machado's return to Venezuela went](maria-corina.html).
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Sources (in Spanish)
- La visita, sus palabras y la reunión con familiares de presos políticos: Infobae (28 de octubre de 2026).
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under free licenses; the author and license are shown under each image.
