Rubio: Venezuela Told U.S. Weeks Ago Machado Could Return Home

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday that Venezuelan authorities notified Washington several weeks ago that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was permitted to re-enter the country without obstruction. The disclosure occurred one day after Machado accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.

Rubio told reporters that the U.S. team communicated directly with the interim authorities. The American position was that Machado, a Venezuelan citizen, should be allowed to return to her homeland unperturbed. The interim government responded that she could fly into the airport if she wished. Rubio confirmed that this assurance was relayed to Machado's team.

The political situation in Venezuela has shifted dramatically since U.S. military forces captured President Nicolás Maduro roughly one month ago. Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s deputy, now controls the country. The Trump administration has worked with Rodríguez on oil extraction and other economic matters. Washington expects the nation to eventually transition to a democratically elected government. Machado has indicated she could run for president herself.

Rubio argued that overhauling Venezuela’s judicial and electoral institutions is required before credible presidential elections can take place. No specific election date has been announced. However, Rubio insisted that the interim government is meeting agreed-upon deadlines to replace the Supreme Court and the electoral council. These institutions were long used by Maduro’s government to control political competition.

The Secretary of State rejected the idea that Venezuelan authorities would delay elections indefinitely. He stated that the infrastructure of the elections must change quickly under the established timelines. Rubio also cited compliance with U.S. national security demands as a sign of cooperation. These demands include diminishing Iranian and Cuban influence, pursuing criminal organizations, and extraditing individuals wanted by American authorities.

The administration uses sanctions relief and economic licenses as incentives for the interim government to cooperate. Rubio said the United States has significant influence over the direction of the talks. When asked if Rodríguez and her brother Jorge, who leads the National Assembly, were offered immunity from prosecution, Rubio said there was no talk about prosecutions. He did not directly address whether immunity had been offered.

Rubio noted that he previously discouraged Machado from returning immediately after the capture of Maduro. He explained that the focus at that time was on logistical operations for humanitarian relief. Machado has criticized economic deals between the Trump administration and Venezuela, specifically the oil agreement. Rubio defended the deal as a way to attract private investment and said her objections were separate from the democratic process.