Trump to Meet Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado

Meeting Between Trump and Machado

Pressure continues to mount on the situation in Venezuela, gaining new dimensions. United States President Donald Trump is set to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday, according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.

Machado, a prominent figure in the Venezuelan opposition, has had a limited role in discussions about the country's future, especially following the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. earlier this month. Trump has expressed doubts about whether Machado has the necessary support to lead Venezuela.

Last week, Machado stated that she had not spoken with Trump since October. Meanwhile, Maduro's former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has assumed the role of interim president, threatening additional military actions if her government does not comply with U.S. demands on various issues.

In statements this month, the Venezuelan government announced that it had released dozens of political prisoners, some of whom were incarcerated following anti-Maduro protests after the disputed elections of 2024.

Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025—an accolade Trump had hoped to earn for himself—met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday, asking him to "intervene for all Venezuelans who remain kidnapped and missing." The opposition leader has sought to cultivate close ties with the Trump administration, dedicating her Nobel Prize to him and recently stating that she would like to share the award or give it directly to him.

Further information will follow...