Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado announced her plans to return to Venezuela to assist with the country’s recovery efforts following last week’s back-to-back earthquakes.
Background
Machado, currently in Panama, has been living in hiding in Venezuela since claiming victory in the country’s disputed 2024 election. She secretly fled Venezuela by boat to travel to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she later handed to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Machado’s desire to return to Venezuela has caused friction in Washington, where she has been asked to delay her return. The opposition leader has contacted several U.S. administration officials to seek support for her possible return to Venezuela.
Current Situation
The capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces in January had raised expectations among some opposition figures that Machado would take a leading role in governing Venezuela. However, Trump threw his support behind Maduro’s former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, saying Machado lacked the backing needed to lead the country in the near term.
Machado had said prior to the earthquakes that she expected to return to Venezuela before the end of the year. She stated, ‘At this moment, I am willing to do whatever it takes, speak to whoever I need to speak to, in order to coordinate and serve our people.’
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
