Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has accused the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez of blocking her return to the country. Machado, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in late 2025 and has been living in exile, stated she wanted to return to support victims of a recent twin earthquake. She claimed that the government engaged in "mobilizing the state apparatus" to prevent her entry, including attempting to cancel commercial flights and intimidating those who might facilitate her return. Machado made these accusations from Panama in a video posted on social media.
The accusations by Machado come as Venezuela grapples with a severe emergency caused by twin earthquakes on June 24, which have resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and approximately 5,000 injuries. The main international airport serving Caracas, Maiquetía International Airport, was severely damaged by the earthquakes and remains partially closed for commercial flights, with its main runway shut until at least July 2. While the government has not directly responded to Machado's specific claims, it has reported 1,719 deaths and 5,034 injured.
Machado's efforts to return have caused frustration among some U.S. officials, despite the U.S. generally supporting her return. A White House official, speaking anonymously, questioned the timing of her return request amid a massive humanitarian disaster. The U.S. has committed $150 million in humanitarian aid and deployed search and rescue teams. Republican Representative María Elvira Salazar, however, publicly supported Machado's immediate return, calling on the U.S. government to ensure it happens.
Machado has been a vocal opponent of the Chavista government, gaining prominence after winning the 2023 primaries. Despite a political disqualification and travel restrictions, she became a key figure in the opposition, which alleges fraud in the 2024 presidential election where Nicolás Maduro was declared reelected. After Maduro's capture in January by U.S. forces, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency. Machado has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for support in achieving a change in government and stated her determination to return to Venezuela "very soon."
