The ‘incidents’ preventing Machado from returning to Venezuela

The situation in Venezuela was also on the agenda at the UN General Assembly, with Delcy Rodríguez celebrating the oil agreement with the United States, assuring that she intends to open a new political chapter based on dialogue and the participation of all political forces, and also announcing forthcoming elections, though without specifying a date. On this occasion, the Venezuelan president met Donald Trump and posed for a photograph with him. Meanwhile, however, the Spanish daily ABC reported that María Corina Machado had just been denied entry to Venezuela three times in the space of 24 hours. Clearly embarrassed, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while confirming that the transition in Venezuela “is underway” and outlining the conditions for holding the elections, stated that he was unaware of the details regarding these attempts, while expressing his respect for the “very courageous” leader.

The news was confirmed exclusively by David Alandete, the Washington correspondent for the Spanish daily ABC, who had been in Panama City this week to accompany Machado on his return journey. The plan involved a two-day sea crossing through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean. Everything was ready, with the passengers’ documentation submitted and departure procedures completed, when the company owning the aircraft informed them, just a few hours before the scheduled departure on Monday evening, that one of the engines had a problem with two cylinders. Neither was another flight offered, nor was it suggested that they wait for repairs: they simply cancelled the trip and refunded the money.

That very night, Machado and his team began looking for a flight to one of the Dutch islands off the Venezuelan coast, and they soon managed to book a flight to Aruba for the early hours of Tuesday morning. But another obstacle arose, this time of an administrative nature, due to doubts over the classification of the flight – whether it was private or commercial. They then found a second aircraft, but the Aruban authorities ultimately refused to grant them permission to land. The team finally attempted a last-ditch route to Curaçao – the same island Machado had reached after fleeing Venezuela last December – with Bonaire as an alternative. However, neither island authorised the landing.

This incident was merely the latest in a series of setbacks that had begun three months earlier. According to Alandete’s account, on 26 June Machado had set off in a private jet from Manassas, Virginia, bound for Curaçao. The aircraft was already in the air when the pilot received orders to turn back, following a communication received from the United States. Two days later, on her second attempt, María Corina had purchased a scheduled Copa Airlines ticket from Panama to Caracas. However, the airline had received a warning from Venezuela that carrying her could jeopardise its operating licences in the country, and Machado was unable to board. In addition to these incidents and those of this week, ABC has confirmed that there were two further failed attempts – one by land and another combining different routes – the details of which remain confidential because, according to those involved, these methods “could be used in the future”.

This stands in stark contrast to the public assurances that senior U.S. officials had given to Machado. Rubio himself had stated that “María Corina Machado is a Venezuelan citizen who has every right to enter her country whenever she wishes”, “we cannot prevent her from travelling”, clarifying that Washington had merely recommended she postpone her return during the emergency following the earthquakes. Trump himself had already made a similar statement in July, following the NATO summit in Turkey: “I didn’t tell her not to come back. I think she’s a good person.” Despite these assurances, Machado remains unable to return to her country.