Machado returns to Caracas to confirm Venezuela transition plan
The opposition leader stated that the three-phase strategy is moving forward following her arrival on Sunday.
By Matthew Qureshi ·
María Corina Machado told reporters on Thursday that the political transition in Venezuela is irreversible. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate made the statement during her first press conference since returning to the country on Sunday. She assessed that the three days elapsed since her arrival show that the three-phase plan proposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is advancing.
Machado spent Wednesday in the coastal state of La Guaira. This region suffered the most damage from the double earthquake that struck on June 24. The opposition leader toured various sectors of the area to meet with residents affected by the disaster. Her campaign team, the Comando con Venezuela, shared photographs and videos of the visit on social media.
The team stated that Machado’s priority from the first day was to be in Vargas, the former name of La Guaira, alongside local residents. They noted that she inspected the destruction firsthand resulting from the events of June 24. Her team added that seeing the damage caused pain, but embracing families and hearing their stories reaffirmed the commitment to not leave them alone.
Machado reappeared in Venezuela on Sunday after several failed attempts to enter the country. She led a car of vehicles from the western state of Lara to Caracas. This marked her first public appearance since crossing the border. Upon her return, she held meetings with members of her political party, Vente Venezuela. She also met with families of political prisoners and victims of human rights violations.
She further engaged with leaders of the main opposition coalition, the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática. She also met with representatives of the Alianza por Venezuela, a group consisting of small social and political organizations. These meetings occurred in the days following her return to the capital.
The Thursday press conference represents the first formal media engagement for Machado since her return. She used the platform to provide an update on the status of the transition process. She confirmed that the framework proposed by the United States government is currently in motion.
