Machado Foresees Venezuela Elections Amidst Complex Transition, Meets Trump

• Maria Corina Machado is confident of an orderly transition to free elections in Venezuela, despite a complex path ahead.
• Machado met President Donald Trump at the White House, presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to advocate for the opposition's role.
• Trump has prioritized Venezuela's oil reserves and backed interim President Delcy Rodriguez, not Machado, for current leadership.
• CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Rodriguez in Caracas, signaling deepening U.S. ties with the current Venezuelan government.
• Machado, banned from the 2024 election, seeks to influence Trump and secure a role in Venezuela's future amidst political arrests.

Why It Matters: Machado expects eventual free elections in Venezuela but acknowledges a difficult transition and U.S. focus on oil.