Machado to return to Venezuela after interim government grants permission

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday that Venezuela's interim government granted opposition leader Maria Corina Machado permission to return to the country. The disclosure arrives as the Trump administration advances a political transition plan that relies on the cooperation of officials from Nicolas Maduro's former cabinet.

Rubio told reporters that U.S. officials spoke with the interim authorities several weeks prior to the announcement. He said the U.S. expectation was that Machado, a Venezuelan citizen, should be allowed to return without interference. The interim government confirmed she could fly into the airport, a message the State Department then relayed to Machado's team.

"We spoke to the interim authorities and just said, 'Look, our expectation is that she's a Venezuelan. She belongs in her country. That's the country she's from. She should be allowed to return, and she should be allowed to return unperturbed, having no problems, '" Rubio said. "And they told us that she could fly into the airport if she wanted to. And we communicated that to her team."

The news followed a period of intense activity in the region. Roughly one month after Machado departed Venezuela, U.S. military forces captured Maduro and placed his deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, in control. Since then, the administration has worked with Rodriguez on oil extraction and other issues while pressing for a transition to a democratically elected government. Machado has indicated she could run for president herself. She is also scheduled to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.

No specific election date has been announced, but Rubio insisted the interim government is meeting agreed-upon deadlines. These deadlines require the replacement of the Supreme Court and the electoral council, institutions previously used by Maduro's government to manage political competition. Rubio argued these structural changes must happen quickly to ensure future presidential elections are credible.

"We have timelines that are agreed to. And so far, they've met every one of the timelines, " Rubio said. "You've got to change the infrastructure of the elections, not in 10 years, not in five years, not in two years. It needs to happen quickly under the timelines that we've established."

Rubio also cited compliance with U.S. national security demands as a factor in the relationship. 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 cooperation. Rubio said the U.S. has substantial influence over the direction of these talks.

When asked if Rodriguez and her brother Jorge, who leads the National Assembly, received incentives such as immunity from prosecution, Rubio said there was "definitely no talk about prosecutions or anything of this nature." He did not directly confirm whether immunity had been offered. He noted he personally discouraged Machado from returning only immediately after a specific event, citing the need to prioritize humanitarian relief logistics.

"The reason why it was very simple, because right at that moment, the only thing we were focusing on from a logistical standpoint was getting as many planes with relief aid as possible into the country, " Rubio said.

Machado has criticized certain economic deals between the U.S. and the interim government, including an oil agreement. Rubio defended the deal as a method to attract private investment, separating it from the question of democratic elections. He warned that if the interim authorities try to harm the process or stop complying, the U.S. will have a problem, but he expressed confidence that cooperation will continue. "She doesn't have to agree with it or like it, " he said of the oil deal.

Rubio also addressed the situation in Cuba, suggesting the island is in the U.S. sights. He said that if he lived in Havana and was in the government, he would be concerned. Last week, Rubio and the CIA encouraged Cubans to work with the agency to see positive change. Asked why he encouraged working with the CIA rather than pursuing peaceful political change, Rubio said, "I can't answer that." He added that Cuba needs "very dramatic change" and is a totally different case from Venezuela.