US blocks María Corina Machado's return to Venezuela after twin earthquakes kill more than 2,500

The thwarted journey

A private jet carrying María Corina Machado took off from Virginia on Friday 26 June bound for Curaçao, the first leg of a plan to return to Venezuela for the first time since her clandestine exit in December 2025. About an hour into the flight, the charter company abruptly ordered the pilots to reverse course over North Carolina and return to the Washington area, The Wall Street Journal reported. Dutch authorities, who manage Curaçao's foreign affairs, revoked the landing permit after Washington signalled it did not support the trip. Machado and her aides believed senior Trump administration officials had given sufficient assurances; she texted a State Department official seeking an explanation and was told the official did not know why the flight was halted.

A second attempt via Panama also failed when Copa Airlines refused to carry her to Venezuela, citing fear of reprisals from Caracas. Days later, from Panama City, Machado accused the Venezuelan government of closing commercial airspace to block her return.

Earthquake toll and a 'failed state'

Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on 24 June, devastating the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Official casualties have been reported in a range: the interim government's figures put the dead at 2,595 while Deutsche Welle cited an updated count of 2,645. At least 12,400 were injured and almost 200 buildings collapsed completely.

This tragedy laid bare what we all knew: Venezuela has become a failed state, with a total absence of capacity to manage damage.

Washington's political calculus

President Donald Trump on 2 July said relations with interim president Delcy Rodríguez are "excellent". The same day, Rodríguez's 180-day interim term expired, yet the government has not announced a transition plan or an election calendar. The US administration, according to Axios, viewed Machado's return attempt as "a grotesque act of political opportunism" amid the humanitarian crisis. Senior US officials, including Marco Rubio, argued it was not the right moment for sensitive political moves.

Relations with the government of interim president Delcy Rodríguez are excellent.

The Trump administration is solely focused on continuing our response efforts to the devastating earthquakes.

Machado insists return would stabilise

Speaking from exile in a Zoom press conference on 3 July, Machado rejected the notion that her presence would be destabilising. She maintained she needs no official protection, saying millions of Venezuelans would safeguard her. She has not requested security resources from any government.

I am absolutely convinced that my presence helps facilitate progress in a transition process. After the tragedy of 24 June, my presence brings stability and is part of the organising force the country needs.

An uncertain transition

Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US military operation on 3 January and is now detained in a New York prison awaiting trial. Delcy Rodríguez, once Maduro's deputy, leads the interim government but faces growing criticism over the slow and insufficient earthquake response. The national assembly, controlled by the ruling party, can call an early election if it declares the presidency permanently vacant, yet no electoral timetable has been provided. Venezuelan opposition organisations continue to press for a path to elections, while the US signals it will not prioritise electoral pressure over immediate disaster reconstruction.