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Opposition leader meets Trump as Venezuela's future hangs in balance
Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado will meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, aiming to reverse his support for interim leader Delcy Rodríguez following a recent U.S.-backed operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power.
Nobel Prize gesture fails to sway Trump
Machado, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her decade-long pro-democracy campaign, publicly offered to share the honor with Trump-a move the U.S. president called an "honor" to accept. However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified that the prize cannot legally be transferred. Trump had previously criticized the committee for awarding Machado instead of him.
Despite the symbolic overture, Trump has remained lukewarm toward Machado, who won Venezuela's opposition primary in a landslide last year but was barred from challenging Maduro in the 2024 election, widely dismissed as fraudulent.
Trump backs rival leader after Maduro's ouster
After a U.S. military operation removed Maduro earlier this month, Trump endorsed Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, as interim leader, calling Machado "not respected enough" to govern. Rodríguez, in her first press conference on Wednesday, declared Venezuela had entered a "new political era" with greater tolerance for dissent.
Machado hopes Thursday's meeting will convince Trump to shift his support to her coalition, which she argues is better positioned to guide Venezuela's transition. In a recent conversation with Trump, she thanked him for his role in advancing "peace, freedom, and democracy," vowing they would "liberate" Venezuela together.
Divided reactions to Trump's Venezuela strategy
Trump's decision to back Rodríguez has sparked mixed reactions. While some opposition supporters were stunned by the move, others now speculate it may reflect a pragmatic effort to avoid instability. Rodríguez, seen by critics as complicit in Maduro's regime, is viewed by some as a safer short-term option to prevent backlash from the military and pro-government colectivos-armed civilian groups still loyal to the ousted regime.
Trump reinforced his stance on Wednesday, praising Rodríguez as a "terrific person" after a lengthy phone call. He also suggested the U.S. could "run" Venezuela, a remark that has deepened divisions among Venezuelans, even those opposed to Maduro. Some fear U.S. control over the country's oil industry, while others see it as a necessary step toward stability.
Machado's support vs. Rodríguez's pragmatism
In Caracas, many view Machado as the only opposition leader with consistent credibility against Maduro. Her landslide primary victory and ability to mobilize mass protests after the disputed 2024 election-where independent tallies showed her candidate winning-bolster her standing. Critics of Rodríguez, however, accuse her of enabling Maduro's abuses and question her ability to unite the country.
"More than 80% of Venezuelans want political change. They believe the opposition are the only ones capable of overseeing a return to democracy-and most don't think that will happen under Delcy Rodríguez."
Unnamed Venezuelan political analyst
A political analyst told the BBC that Trump's decision to meet Machado suggests he may not fully believe his own claims about her lack of support. The analyst added that Machado's efforts to weaken Maduro's regime likely facilitated the U.S. operation, raising questions about Trump's sudden shift in allegiance.
Uncertain path forward
Venezuela's future remains precarious. While the military and colectivos currently resist opposition leadership, some analysts argue that Rodríguez's interim government could prevent immediate chaos. Others warn that sidelining Machado risks alienating the majority of Venezuelans who demand democratic elections.
Machado's White House meeting may hinge less on her arguments and more on Rodríguez's performance in the coming weeks-and whether it aligns with Trump's vision for Venezuela's recovery.
