Venezuela cleared Machado's return weeks prior, Rubio states

Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed on Monday that Venezuela's interim government granted permission for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to return to the country weeks before her arrival. Rubio stated that the interim authorities explicitly told U.S. officials that Machado could fly into the airport without interference. He confirmed that the United States passed this information directly to Machado's team.

The announcement followed Machado's recent return to Venezuela. This move occurs as the Trump administration pushes for a political transition that depends on cooperation from senior figures in the government of Nicolás Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodríguez. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. expects Machado to be treated as a Venezuelan citizen with the right to live in her home country without disruption.

Rubio asserted that the interim government is meeting agreed-upon deadlines for replacing the country's Supreme Court and electoral council. He noted that these institutions were previously used by Maduro's government to control political competition. Rubio argued that these changes must happen quickly, within the established timelines, to allow for credible presidential elections.

The State Department head cited compliance with U.S. national security demands as a factor in the ongoing negotiations. These demands include diminishing Iranian and Cuban influence, pursuing criminal organizations, and extraditing individuals wanted by American authorities. Rubio also highlighted the administration's leverage through sanctions relief and economic licenses as incentives for the interim government to maintain its cooperation.

Regarding the status of Rodríguez and her brother Jorge, who leads the National Assembly, Rubio said there was no discussion about prosecutions. He did not directly answer whether immunity had been offered to facilitate the transition. Rubio noted that the United States holds substantial influence over the direction of the talks and their results.

Rubio explained that he only discouraged Machado from returning immediately after a specific event due to the need to prioritize humanitarian relief operations. He said the logistical focus at that time was on moving relief aid into the country. Machado has since criticized aspects of the U.S. economic deals with the interim government, including an oil agreement, which Rubio defended as a means to attract private investment.

The Secretary of State warned that failure to reach a negotiated transition could lead to a return to authoritarianism or armed conflict. However, he expressed confidence that the interim authorities would continue cooperating. He also addressed the situation in Cuba, noting that the U.S. had encouraged Cuban officials to work with the CIA for positive change. Rubio described Cuba as needing dramatic change and distinct from the Venezuelan case.

Last week, Rubio and the CIA encouraged Cubans in social media posts to work with the agency. Rubio stated that Cuba is a totally different case from Venezuela. He added that if he lived in Havana and served in the government, he would be concerned at least a little bit, pointing to the island's alliance with Venezuela.