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U.S. blocks Machado
The United States has aligned itself with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and told María Corina Machado that “counterproductive” attempts to return to Venezuela are not the time, as the earthquakes left nearly 2,300 dead and 11,000 injured.
“The images of American soldiers being feted by the inhabitants of the disaster zone, selfies included, have filled their bosses in Washington and the operations center set up on Venezuelan soil with joy”
A State Department spokesperson told EL PAÍS that “counterproductive” efforts to add political issues to the rescue situation are not appropriate, while Edmundo González, the opposition movement’s presidential candidate in the July 2024 election, argued that “there are principles that are not open to negotiation.”
EL PAÍS says Machado had attempted to return the previous weekend, with her private plane ordered to turn back while still in U.S. airspace after Washington made clear it did not back the trip, as The Wall Street Journal reported citing “people familiar with the matter.”
After that failed attempt, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio relayed the Trump administration’s view that it would not prevent her return but that “it was not the moment to try,” because attention and resources needed to be dedicated to rescue efforts.
EL PAÍS adds that Machado then flew from Panama last Sunday, but Copa Airlines refused to let her board, and she posted that Caracas had closed airspace to prevent her entry.
Airspace restrictions
EL PAÍS English | Western Alternative reports that the U.S. position has been consistent—“it is not yet the right time; the situation is not sufficiently stable”—even as Machado sought meetings in the United States, including with President Donald Trump.
La Vanguardia describes a flight from Bogotá to Valencia, where passengers included a team of firefighters from the French Disaster Rescue Group (GSCF), and the commander announced that “Due to restrictions in Venezuelan airspace, we cannot fly and everyone must disembark.”
In La Vanguardia’s account, passengers later received a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration that “international takeoffs and landings in Venezuela were restricted until July 2 by order of the United States,” shifting blame from the chavista government to Washington.
La Vanguardia also says Machado spoke from Panama, telling viewers, “I want to return to Venezuela to accompany them in these heartwrenching hours,” and she added that “The regime wants to block my return to Venezuela.”
The article further states that Machado was prevented from boarding a plane bound for Caracas after flying to Panama, and it frames the decision as Washington still considering her return inadvisable.
What’s at stake
EL PAÍS says the U.S. administration believes supporting Delcy Rodríguez is the best way to preserve stability in Venezuela, while Trump has publicly said Machado does not have enough domestic support to lead the country in this phase.
“Everything in Venezuela is interpreted through prejudice and agendas”
EL PAÍS quotes a State Department spokesperson saying the Trump administration is “focused exclusively on continuing our efforts to respond to the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela,” and it adds that Washington announced $300 million in humanitarian aid, deployed search-and-rescue teams with highly trained dogs, and established a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART).
La Vanguardia portrays Machado’s return as intertwined with access for rescue and information, including her claim that the government has blocked “the travel of international rescue teams stranded at airports” and “the work of journalists who seek the truth.”
EL PAÍS also reports that the opposition insists Machado must be allowed to enter her country, while the U.S. says political and economic stability must be restored first so elections can be conducted with adequate guarantees.
In La Vanguardia’s narrative of the standoff, it concludes that “all signs indicate that Washington still considers Machado’s return inadvisable,” even as it says analysts consulted in Washington and Los Angeles suggest the situation “may change.”
