Opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado reappeared in Venezuela Sunday for the first time since December, returning from exile at a time when doubts about the country’s democratic future — and the role of the U.S. — are growing.
President Donald Trump said, “I don’t know anything about it, but I think she’s a very nice woman. Asked by reporters Sunday about Machado’s return to Venezuela, U.S. She gave me her Nobel Prize. So how can I say anything else? And I hope she’s safe. She’s a very nice woman. But we’re doing really well in Venezuela. Since Maduro’s ouster, Venezuela has been run by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally who received the Trump administration’s blessing to succeed him.
In October 2023, Machado won an opposition primary and intended to challenge Maduro in the 2024 presidential election, but the government barred her from running for office. More than 2,000 people, including poll workers, were detained in the days after the vote. After Maduro was deposed, Venezuela’s highest court said Rodríguez could serve as acting president for up to 90 days — an interim appointment that could be extended by the National Assembly for an additional 90 days.
Trump administration officials deny they are holding Machado back but have said that, on some occasions, they have advised her against returning due to safety concerns.
Machado had repeatedly vowed to return to Venezuela and, according to her party, she made seven unsuccessful attempts. The lead-up and aftermath of the election were marked by widespread government repression, including forced disappearances, torture and other human rights violations. Opposition activists have accused Venezuela’s government of blocking Machado’s return, a claim denied by Venezuelan authorities. Others have also questioned whether the Trump administration has also been involved in the efforts to stop her from returning. But the ruling party-controlled assembly never voted to extend her term.
