Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, made her first public statements following her return from over ten months of exile. Speaking at a news conference in Caracas, she expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for actions she credited with advancing democratic transition in the country.
Machado specifically acknowledged President Trump, his administration, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, referencing what she characterized as a sequence of events initiated on January 3. She called for presidential elections to be held in 2027 and stated that Rubio’s efforts were directed toward achieving a democratic transition. The opposition leader had previously fled Venezuela in December to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, with assistance from US special forces veterans who organized her escape by boat after she spent a year concealed from government authorities.
Since the abduction of former President Nicolas Maduro in January, Venezuela has been governed by his predecessor in the vice presidency, Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez confirmed that elections would occur in Venezuela under international observation but did not announce a specific timeline. She responded coolly to Machado’s return, suggesting the public reception could have been avoided.
Machado’s return also coincided with criticism of a recently negotiated US-Venezuela oil agreement under which Venezuela would cede twenty percent of its oil reserves. The opposition leader expressed concern about the arrangement’s lack of transparency, stating it fell short of standards the Venezuelan public should expect.
When questioned about potential dialogue with Rodriguez or the US government, Machado indicated she had received no communications from either party regarding such meetings. Her return generated significant public support, with supporters gathering as her motorcade traveled through the capital.
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