Venezuela’s main opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has vowed to return home quickly, praising US President Donald Trump for toppling her enemy Nicolas Maduro and declaring her movement ready to win a free election.
Trump appears, however, to hope for now to work with interim President Delcy Rodriguez and other senior officials from Maduro’s government, disappointing the opposition and contributing to nervousness in Venezuela.
Venezuelan and US officials are discussing the export of Venezuelan crude to US refiners, five government, industry and shipping sources told Reuters.
“I’m planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible,” said Machado, 58, who escaped from Venezuela in disguise in October to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she dedicated to Trump.
“We believe that this transition should move forward,” she told Fox News’ “Hannity” programme.
“In free and fair elections, we will win over 90 per cent of the votes.”
Trump has said the US needs to help address Venezuela’s problems before an election, calling a 30-day timeline unrealistic.
“We have to fix the country first ... There’s no way the people could even vote,” Trump told NBC.
In the interview, her first since Maduro was captured in Caracas by US commandos, Machado did not give her location or more details on returning to Venezuela, where loyalists of Maduro’s Socialist Party remain in power, and Machado is under investigation for inciting insurrection in the military.
To the dismay of the large diaspora – one in five Venezuelans left during an economic implosion – Trump has said Machado lacks support.
The opposition, some international observers and many US allies say Machado’s movement was cheated of victory in the 2024 election, from which Machado was banned and an ally stood instead.
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