Trump to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at White House

President Donald Trump is set to meet Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the White House later today. Machado’s political party is widely considered to have won the 2024 elections rejected by then-president Nicolás Maduro before the United States captured him, AP reported.

Less than two weeks after U.S. forces seized Maduro and his wife and brought them to New York to stand trial on drug trafficking charges, Trump said he will host Machado. He has previously dismissed her credibility to run Venezuela and said of her, “She’s a very nice woman,” adding, “I think we’re just going to talk basics.” The meeting comes as Trump and his advisers have signalled a willingness to work with acting president Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice-president who remains in charge of day-to-day operations.

Rodríguez has taken a less strident position toward Trump and said she plans to continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro, reportedly at the behest of the Trump administration; Venezuela released several Americans this week. Trump said he had a “great conversation” with Rodríguez, their first since Maduro was ousted.

Separately, the Senate voted against a war powers resolution that would have prevented Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without giving Congress advance notice.

Key Topics

Politics, Donald Trump, Maria Corina Machado, White House, Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez