Overview
- María Corina Machado made two recent return attempts that failed after the late‑June earthquakes: a U.S.-authorized private charter was turned back at U.S. officials' request and a commercial trip from Panama was stopped when Copa Airlines refused to board her.
- Copa told Machado’s team it feared Venezuelan reprisals that could lead the carrier to lose access to the market, prompting airlines to avoid transporting her to Caracas.
- Senior U.S. officials publicly and privately criticized Machado’s timing and tactics, calling the moves opportunistic and saying they risked complicating a fragile U.S. working relationship with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez.
- Reporting from multiple outlets says the twin quakes produced large casualties and widespread damage, and that Venezuelan authorities have at times denied entry to international rescue teams and restricted journalists, slowing relief efforts.
- Machado also faces legal and administrative barriers at home—she has no Venezuelan passport, was excluded from a February amnesty, and is barred from holding public office until 2036—which limits her ability to return and immediately assume a political role.