“Estoy aqui. Con ustedes.” I am here. With you all. With these words, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado returned to her country after 10 months abroad. She left to the accolades of millions to receive her Nobel Peace Prize. She returned to an even more meaningful scene—the undying affection of her people, welcoming home not just her but their democratic aspirations.
Much has been written about her return—whether it was supported by the United States, what comes next, how this fits into the continuing negotiations. But I’m more interested in what the spontaneous gatherings about her return say about humanity, and about the beautiful side of politics.
Many of us live here in Washington, where politics is a blood sport. As November 3 inches ever closer, we’re inundated with accusations, anger, and name-calling. Today, political advertisements focus less on each candidate’s positive vision for America and more about personal attacks, blaming other countries for high cost of living, and fear-mongering. There are few politicians in either political party today who I think could even bumble their way through answering the very basic question: “What do you stand for?”
Sometimes, anger against a political adversary is warranted. When you love your country and you think someone is taking it down the wrong path, you naturally fight with all your strength against them. But American politics today—and most of global politics—centers around blind ego, blind anger, blind wrath, blind grievances. It is about finding someone to blame, not finding someone to believe in. It is about measuring support through internet clicks, not in person connections.
Maria Corina Machado’s return—and the remarkable and unplanned reaction to it—is a beautiful reminder that the spirit of hope and democracy remains alive, especially in a place like Venezuela. It’s a reminder that political leaders can offer a helping hand, not just a wagging finger. And the shining light of optimism in the eyes of her followers upon her return is a reminder that as bad as it can get and as frustrating as it can be, a constitutional republic remains the greatest pathway to human flourishing ever devised.
Maria Corina Machado has returned, and with her, the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. But what she symbolizes is so much broader than that. As we look to November 3, there’s one message I will continue to hope to hear from our leaders. Not who we can blame, not who we can hate, not whose competitor has the most personal flaws.
Just one simple message: I am here. With you all.
