The President of the United States, Donald Trump, expressed optimism this Monday about a possible return of the opposition leader María Corina Machado to Venezuela, after she stated that she deems it urgent to return to the country.
"It is a very good woman. She gave me the Nobel Peace Prize because she knows I deserved it, she is a very good woman and everything is going to be fine," Trump replied when directly asked by the correspondant from ABC in Washington, David Alandete, about Machado's plans.
Alandete himself subsequently shared Trump's response and emphasized that the president referred to Machado as a "very good woman" and stated that her return to Venezuela "is going to go well."
The statement comes after months of uncertainty regarding when Machado might return. The opposition leader has repeatedly expressed her intention to return to Venezuela, and this weekend, she stated in an article published by the New York Post that doing so is now "urgent."
"My duty is to accompany our people and peacefully channel the growing social tensions," wrote Machado, who has also called for a roadmap leading to free and competitive presidential elections.
According to ABC, the leader has attempted to return several times since June, using various air, land, and sea routes, but none of those attempts have been successful.
The outlet also reports that in recent months, Washington had considered that it was still not the appropriate time for his return, amidst the political transition in Venezuela temporarily led by Delcy Rodríguez.
Trump's response this Monday does not set a date for Machado's return nor does it imply a formal announcement from the U.S. government regarding a potential operation to facilitate his entry into Venezuela. However, the president also did not express any public reservations when directly questioned about the possibility.
Trump had previously denied obstructing the leader's return. In July, he rejected claims that he had asked Machado to stay out of Venezuela, following media reports suggesting otherwise. "No... no, not at all... How could I say that? She's amazing," he stated at the time.
The relationship between the two has gone through different stages since the beginning of the year. On January 15, Machado was received by Trump at the White House, where they held a meeting that generated great anticipation about the role the opposition leader could play in Venezuela's political future.
During that visit, Machado presented Trump with the medal corresponding to the Nobel Peace Prize she had received in 2025. The leader publicly thanked her for the gesture and described her as "a wonderful woman who has been through so much."
In March, another public gesture of rapprochement took place when Trump called Machado during a dinner at his Doral complex in Miami and told him, "Everyone loves you here."
Nonetheless, Washington's stance on Machado's immediate role in the Venezuelan transition has not always been clear. In May, information based on sources cited by CNN indicated that Machado had not been part of the initial discussions regarding the political landscape following Nicolás Maduro.
Machado, for his part, has maintained in recent months that he will return to Venezuela. In September, he reaffirmed his intention to return despite the risks and stated that the Venezuelan democratic transition remains "incomplete."
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