María Corina Machado is a Venezuelan politician, a presidential candidate, and leader of the democratic opposition after her landslide victory in the primary elections on October 2023, with more than 92 per cent of the votes. She is the founder and national coordinator of VENTE, a center-right party created in 2012.

Machado’s leadership and widespread support gained her a seat in the National Assembly after receiving the most votes among all candidates during the 2010 parliamentary elections. Additionally, she was a presidential pre-candidate in 2012.

Today, she is known for her unique voice in Venezuela’s traditionally male-dominated political landscape. Machado is one of the 100 most influential and inspiring leaders in the world, according to the BBC (2018). She is an engineer and the mother of three children.

Machado was an event speaker at the Dialogue.