María Corina Machado’s Warning to Americans About Socialism

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Rachel Campos-Duffy in Panama to caution Americans about the risks of socialism, particularly as the midterm elections approached. Machado delivered a message directly to President Donald Trump, commending his leadership and suggesting that the capture of Nicolás Maduro would mark a significant achievement in his presidency. Additionally, she criticized Delcy Rodríguez for her handling of the responses to severe earthquakes in Venezuela.

Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after nearly a year abroad, marking her homecoming in a political landscape changed by the U.S.’s removal of Nicolás Maduro from power. She announced her return via social media, stating, “I’m here. With you all,” after being absent since December. With Delcy Rodríguez serving as acting president, supported by the Trump administration, no presidential elections are currently slated in the country.

President Donald Trump commented on Machado’s return in Port Huron, Michigan, expressing hope for her safety despite claiming not to be aware of her arrival. He praised her, recounting that she had presented him with her Nobel Prize, further stating, “She’s a very nice woman…and I hope she’s safe.”

Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her peaceful opposition efforts against Maduro’s government. Although she has not revealed her precise location or the details of her return to Venezuela, fellow opposition leader Edmundo González confirmed her arrival on social media, expressing eagerness to join her.

Her return follows nearly ten months after Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in January, which led to the end of his long-standing leadership. Rodríguez, initially authorized to serve temporarily, has continued her leadership role with support from the Trump administration. Trump has acknowledged agreements with Rodríguez’s administration involving Venezuelan oil production and business collaborations with American enterprises.

While Trump has stated that it is premature to discuss democratic elections in Venezuela, focusing instead on economic stabilization, Machado and her supporters advocate for setting an election date, emphasizing the importance of democratic governance for Venezuela’s sustained stability. Her return potentially complicates the relationship dynamics between the Venezuelan opposition, the interim government, and Washington.

As reported by Reuters, U.S. officials had previously requested Machado to postpone her return. Machado had spent much of 2025 in hiding after a temporary detention during an opposition protest in January. After secretly leaving Venezuela, she reappeared in Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in December.

In recent developments, a segment of the Venezuelan opposition and Rodríguez’s government engaged in dialogues focusing on reforms to the Supreme Court and electoral authorities ahead of planned elections. However, Machado’s political movement has not participated in these discussions.