However, Trump has declined to endorse Machado as Venezuela’s new leader, saying she did not have enough domestic support – despite her opposition movement claiming victory in 2024’s widely contested elections.
He has instead been dealing with the country’s interim president Delcy RodrÃguez, who had been Maduro’s vice-president and who on Friday held a two-hour meeting with the director of the CIA “at President Trump’s direction” aimed at building trust and communication between the two countries, according to a US official.
“Director Ratcliffe discussed potential opportunities for economic collaboration and that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America’s adversaries,” the US official said.
Speaking at an event in Washington DC later on Friday, Machado said she was confident there would be an “orderly transition” in her country.
“The result of a stable transition will be a proud Venezuela that will be the best ally the US has ever had in the Americas,” she said.
“This has nothing to do with a tension between Delcy RodrÃguez and myself, this is about a criminal structure: that is the regime and the Venezuelan people,” she added, describing herself as “just one member of a movement of millions of Venezuelans”.
She also visited Congress to meet US senators during her visit to Washington, where her remarks to reporters were drowned out by supporters chanting “MarÃa, presidente” and waving Venezuelan flags.