Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is set to visit the White House on Thursday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a senior White House official. The meeting comes at a highly sensitive moment in Venezuela’s political crisis and signals renewed U.S. engagement with forces seeking democratic change in the South American country.
Machado, who has emerged as the most prominent figure of Venezuela’s opposition, has been internationally recognised for her campaign against authoritarian rule and for her calls for free and fair elections. Her visit follows dramatic developments in Venezuela after former president Nicolás Maduro was removed from power and taken into U.S. custody earlier this month, an event that has left the country politically unstable and divided over who should lead the transition.
Despite being widely admired abroad, Machado’s relationship with the Trump administration has been complex. While she has praised the United States for its actions against the Maduro government, President Trump has not formally recognised her as Venezuela’s leader, instead signalling support for a transitional authority made up of former government figures. This has created tension within the Venezuelan opposition, many of whom see Machado as the legitimate representative of democratic forces.
The visit also follows controversy surrounding Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize, which she recently received for her long-standing struggle for democracy and human rights in Venezuela. She made headlines after suggesting she would offer the award to President Trump in gratitude for U.S. involvement in Venezuela, a proposal that was rejected by the Nobel Institute, which said prizes cannot be transferred.
Political analysts say Machado’s White House meeting could shape the next phase of Venezuela’s transition, particularly on issues such as international recognition, the release of political prisoners and the organisation of new elections. With Venezuela’s economy still in crisis and millions of citizens living abroad, the outcome of Thursday’s talks may influence not only who governs the country next but also how quickly stability can be restored.
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