Venezuela’s Leader Rejects Spanish Meeting, Keeps Options Open

Maria Corina Machado visited Spain to talk about Venezuela’s future. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered her a meeting, but she turned it down because the timing wasn’t right. Sanchez said he still welcomes her whenever she decides to come. Machado’s choice shows a gap between Spain’s left‑wing government and the opposition she meets. She has already spoken with U. S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron after leaving Venezuela, where she lived in hiding. Her goal is to give the opposition a seat at the table for deciding what happens next in Venezuela. While Machado declined Sanchez, she did meet with Spain’s right‑wing leaders. She talked to Alberto Nunez Feijoo from the People’s Party and will hold a joint press conference with far‑right leader Santiago Abascal.These meetings highlight her strategy of building support across the political spectrum. On Saturday, Madrid’s regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso will greet Machado. Ayuso, a fierce critic of Sanchez, will award her the city’s gold medal and give her the keys to Madrid. The event is aimed at rallying Venezuelan supporters in Spain. Sanchez, speaking with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, stressed that Venezuela’s future must be decided by its people without outside interference. He reiterated that all opposition leaders in exile are welcome to Spain’s doors. Machado remains a key figure for the Venezuelan opposition. She hopes that, after the U. S. ousted long‑time leader Nicolas Maduro in January, her group can help shape a democratic path forward.