The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado stated on Tuesday in Washington that her main immediate goal is to "return to Venezuela," following a series of meetings with U.S. lawmakers in Congress.
"I just want to return to Venezuela," Machado declared to the press at the Capitol, where he met with representatives from both parties.
The leader held meetings with Cuban-American congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez, as well as with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.
During a press conference, supported by both, Machado asserted that the situation Venezuela is facing following the deposition of dictator Nicolás Maduro by the United States is "historic."
According to him, this scenario would not have been possible without "the resilience, generosity, and courage of the Venezuelan people," as well as "the support, vision, and bravery" of President Donald Trump and the members of Congress.
Machado, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, stated that the ongoing process has implications not only for her country but for the entire region. "Venezuela will be free. And once we liberate Venezuela, we will continue working and will have a free Cuba and a free Nicaragua," she expressed.
In her statements, the opposition leader emphasized that her priority is not to hold positions from abroad, but to return to the country to participate directly in the political and institutional reconstruction of Venezuela.
Her presence in Washington comes amid a noticeable rapprochement between the U.S. administration and her figure as a reference for the internal opposition.
Machado's impressions after meeting with Trump
After the meeting with Machado, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks, stated that Venezuelan politics involves timelines "different from those of the president" for a democratic transition.
Meeks revealed that several committee members pressured Machado to provide details about his meeting with Donald Trump, which took place four days earlier at the White House.
However, she stated that she "didn't want to say anything against the President of the United States, so she kept her words to herself."
"She was very careful when speaking because when you say something the president doesn't like, there is a retaliation," Meeks added.
The signals from Washington regarding Machado's role in the transition
Days earlier, Trump himself hinted at a press conference that Machado could play a significant role in the future of Venezuela.
Although Washington had initially ruled out its leadership in the transition in favor of a government headed by interim president Delcy Rodríguez, the leader stated: "We are talking with María, perhaps we can involve her in some way. I would love to be able to do that."
She also described her as "an incredible woman" and "a very intelligent, brave person with love for her country."
The approach between the U.S. administration and Machado has been interpreted as an acknowledgment of her role in articulating internal opposition and her leadership within the Vente Venezuela movement.
During her recent meeting with Trump, Machado symbolically presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize 2025 medal "in recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom," as she explained in a later statement.
The gesture was praised by Republican Congress members such as María Elvira Salazar and Mario Díaz-Balart, who described it as historic and a demonstration of the United States' support for Venezuelan democracy.
Machado has reiterated that her goal is to lead a democratic transition without the participation of the PSUV and that, "when the right moment comes," she will be "the first elected female president of Venezuela", as she expressed in an interview with Fox News.
The leader also assured that the country is "on the brink of a profound transformation" and that Venezuela will be "the greatest ally the United States has ever had in the region."
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