US role in Venezuela criticized over democracy and resources
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The gist
Venezuela's opposition coalition reaffirmed exiled Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado as its leader.
The Atlantic says Washington is exploiting Venezuela's oil, as critics note Trump has not pressed for elections.
Background
Maria Corina Machado is a Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has lived in exile since leaving to receive the prize in December 2025. Delcy Rodriguez of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has led the country as interim president since January 3, 2026, after the US launched a military operation to abduct and jail former President Nicolas Maduro. The US has kept an active role in Venezuela, exerting control over its oil resources and pressing the Rodriguez government for reforms, while Venezuela has yet to set a date for a new presidential vote.
How it unfolded
- Oct 2023Machado won the opposition coalition's presidential primary.
- Jan 2024Venezuela's courts blocked Machado from running, upholding a 15-year ban on holding public office.
- 2024Maduro claimed victory for a third term despite widespread criticism that the vote did not meet democratic standards; the opposition released tallies that appeared to show Gonzalez had won.
- Dec 2025Machado left Venezuela to receive her Nobel Prize and has lived in exile since.
- Jan 3, 2026Delcy Rodriguez of PSUV became interim president.
- May 23, 2026Demonstrators in Panama City held signs and Venezuelan flags in support of Machado during her international tour.
- Oct 2026A third round of talks between the Rodriguez government and the opposition began, involving members of the 2015 National Assembly rather than Machado; the US State Department praised the talks as aiding reform.
- Oct 18, 2026The opposition's Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD) agreed in Caracas to recognise and support Machado's leadership, issuing 14 proposals for a democratic transition.
- Oct 22, 2026The Atlantic published a report saying the US government is exploiting Venezuela for oil and money as the country struggles to recover from political upheaval and earthquakes.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- The PUD agreed to recognise and support Machado's leadership and renewed its demand for free elections.
- Support
- Machado told the Financial Times she wants elections by July next year and said the US and Venezuelans agree the only sustainable path is turning Venezuela into a stable democracy.
- Caution
- Critics say Trump has been reluctant to push Rodriguez for new elections, opting for a three-phase plan that puts stabilisation and economic recovery before a political transition.
- Analysts
- The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum wrote that the US government is exploiting Venezuela for oil and money.
Still unverified
The courts upheld a 15-year ban on Machado holding public office reportedly because of her support for US sanctions against the Maduro government; the opposition released vote tallies that appeared to show Gonzalez won the 2024 race.