Senior U.S. officials told Reuters they are irritated by renewed appeals from Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado seeking American assistance to go back to her homeland in the wake of a catastrophic natural disaster.
According to a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity, Machado has contacted several parts of the U.S. government in recent days - including the White House and the State Department - as well as multiple members of Congress, requesting help to facilitate her return to Venezuela.
Twin earthquakes struck Venezuela this week, a disaster that has left more than 900 people dead. The timing of Machado's outreach has prompted pushback from senior U.S. officials who, while not opposing her return, question whether it should occur so soon after a major humanitarian catastrophe.
"We support her returning to Venezuela, but does it have to be 24 hours after a massive humanitarian catastrophe where the death toll continues to climb?" the White House official said.
A spokesperson for Machado did not immediately answer requests for comment.
Machado departed Venezuela in December, defying a decade-long travel ban to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Prior to that, she had spent more than a year largely in hiding after disputed elections in 2024. Since leaving, she has been primarily based in the United States.
In January, the U.S. captured former President Nicolas Maduro, a development that raised expectations among some opponents that Machado, 58, might assume a prominent role in leading the country. Instead, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly threw his support behind Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former deputy, stating that Machado did not have the necessary backing to run the country in the short term.
Machado has been pressing for free and fair elections and, before this week's earthquakes, had signaled an expectation of returning to Venezuela by the end of the year.
U.S. humanitarian response
The United States has launched a recovery effort following the earthquakes. A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. has mobilized search and rescue teams, is coordinating deliveries of medical supplies, and has unlocked $150 million in humanitarian aid.
Officials in Washington are balancing support for Machado's right to return with the immediate imperatives of relief operations as the death toll continues to rise.