Madrid, Spain – Hundreds of Venezuelans waving flagsfreedom” Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado packed Madrid’s central square on Friday to attend a symbolic ceremony to receive her ‘Llave de Oro’ or ‘Golden Key’.
Some of the crowd came from all over the country to see her visit Spain for a few days. Many people sang along as the orchestra played famous Venezuelan songs.
Broadcast on large screens inside and outside the city’s historic City Hall, Machado received the prestigious award, which is usually presented to visiting heads of state.
Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida acknowledged her “struggle for freedom, democracy and peace” in Venezuela and described her as “the embodiment of the Venezuelan people’s resistance.”
Machado first wished the mayor a happy birthday and then said he hoped to return to Venezuela soon.
“The key opens the door and symbolizes the opening to freedom of the Venezuelan nation today.” She added that she would one day repay that honor in a free Venezuela.
Many Venezuelans who attended the event also said they plan to return to their home country if political changes occur.
Maribel Santiago, who lived in Spain for 10 years, described Machado as a symbol of hope and optimism for her country. “I have prepared a suitcase.” she said “When Maria Corinna comes back, I will come back too.”
Another Venezuelan in the crowd, 10-year-old Mónica, had traveled from Malaga with her mother to meet Machado. After the event, the Venezuelan leader stopped to talk to her and Monica presented her with flowers and a card in the colors of the Venezuelan flag. “She is so important to me,” she said. “I will never forget this day.”
The “Llave de Oro” had previously been awarded only to a few heads of state, highlighting the political significance of this gesture.
Machado, who received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, previously met with leaders of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, including Alberto Núñez Feijou, and Santiago Abascal, head of the right-wing party Vox.
She is not expected to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is hosting a separate gathering of left-wing leaders in Barcelona this weekend.
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Machado is scheduled to take part in further events in the coming days, including a large rally on Saturday expected to draw thousands of people from Spain’s Venezuelan diaspora and a visit to the Senate on Monday.
Spain is home to one of the largest Venezuelan communities in Europe (nearly 700,000 people), many of whom have fled a prolonged political and economic crisis.
Machado also visited Edmundo González Urrutia in hospital. He had been scheduled to attend Saturday’s rally but said he would not be able to due to a follow-up medical procedure.
Machado, a retired diplomat, replaced Machado in the 2024 presidential election after he was barred from running and is widely believed by the opposition to have won the vote.
Machado said he would return to Venezuela “soon,” although the date was not given.
Featured image: Maria Corina Machado embraces a young girl during an event held in her honor in Madrid on April 17, 2026.
Image credit: Catherine Ellis for Latin America Report
