Machado Says Venezuela Will Hold 'Free and Fair' Elections Only After Repression Is Dismantled, Following Trump Meeting
After meeting President Trump at the White House on Jan. 15 — where she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal — opposition leader María Corina Machado said Venezuela will hold "free and fair" elections "eventually" and "as soon as possible," but she gave no timeline. She said credible voting must await dismantling the country's repression apparatus, including restoring rule of law and freeing political prisoners, comments that come as Caracas has announced a limited prisoner release that rights groups say leaves hundreds detained and as the U.S. engages acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump met Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House, where she presented him her Nobel Peace Prize medal, praised his role in Maduro’s ouster, told reporters that whether she becomes Venezuela’s leader is "up to President Trump," and said Venezuela will hold "free and fair" elections only "eventually" and "as soon as possible" after the country's repression apparatus is dismantled (she gave no timeline).
- Trump has publicly praised and communicated with acting President Delcy Rodríguez — calling her "terrific" and saying they are "getting along very well" — and signaled willingness to work with her interim government even as he hosted Machado; senior U.S. officials (including Secretary of State Marco Rubio) and a classified CIA assessment reportedly concluded Delcy Rodríguez was best positioned to lead an interim government, a view that has effectively sidelined Machado politically.
- The Venezuelan government, led in public by Jorge Rodríguez and Delcy Rodríguez, announced a high‑profile release effort framed as a "gesture" toward peace and national unity; authorities say roughly 116 detainees have been freed while rights groups report the number of political prisoners released is far smaller and disputed (counts reported across outlets include 16, 41 and other partial tallies) with hundreds — by NGO counts 863 as of Dec. 29, 2025 — still jailed.
- Released detainees include high‑profile figures such as Enrique Márquez and Biagio Pilieri, and five Spanish citizens including human‑rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel; some freed individuals face ongoing charges, gag orders or restrictions on media contact, prompting rights advocates to push for a broad amnesty rather than conditional releases.
- Human‑rights groups and reporters warn releases are limited and conditional amid a history of documented torture and deaths in custody (cited in the ICC’s 2021 probe and by Foro Penal), and critics note core Maduro security figures — notably Diosdado Cabello — remain central to managing coercive institutions despite the声明 of a "new political moment."
- U.S. actions tied to Venezuela’s transition include a large military operation (Operation Absolute Resolve, described as using more than 150 aircraft and months of planning to capture Nicolás Maduro and bring him to the U.S. for trial), the seizure of multiple Venezuela‑linked oil tankers, and an initial $500 million sale of Venezuelan oil as the U.S. says it will oversee further sales (with aims to sell up to ~50 million barrels).
- Trump and U.S. officials publicly claim U.S. pressure helped secure prisoner releases; Trump posted on Truth Social and spoke on Fox News saying releases came at U.S. request and warned freed prisoners they should not "forget" U.S. help — comments that have generated concern among opponents and rights advocates about the nature and motivations of the releases.
📰 Source Timeline (22)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 27, 2026
January 19, 2026
3:41 PM
Post Trump meeting, Venezuelan opposition leader says country will hold 'free and fair' elections 'eventually'
New information:
- After a private meeting with President Trump in Washington, María Corina Machado said Venezuela will hold 'free and fair' elections 'eventually' and 'as soon as possible,' but refused to give any timeline.
- Machado stated that dismantling Venezuela’s 'repression apparatus'—restoring security, rule of law and freeing political prisoners—must come before any credible vote, and she rejected applying the country’s normal constitutional election calendar immediately.
- She publicly tried to tamp down perceptions of competition with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez for Trump’s favor, saying the real issue is dismantling a 'criminal structure,' even as Trump continues to speak positively about Rodríguez and signals openness to meeting her.
January 17, 2026
2:38 PM
Details from Trump's meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado
New information:
- Confirms that María Corina Machado met President Trump at the White House on Thursday as previously reported in broader form.
- Adds the specific detail that Machado physically presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during the Oval Office/White House visit.
- Clarifies that, in this particular meeting, Trump praised Machado personally but explicitly stopped short of endorsing her as Venezuela’s next leader.
January 16, 2026
9:13 PM
Machado praises Trump, condemns Delcy Rodríguez
New information:
- At a Jan. 16 Washington news conference at the Heritage Foundation, María Corina Machado said Venezuela is in the 'first steps of a true transition to democracy' and vowed the 'criminal regime' will be dismantled.
- Machado publicly praised Trump’s role in Maduro’s ouster, saying Venezuelans are 'absolutely grateful' and that it 'took a lot of courage' to do what he did.
- She sharply criticized interim president Delcy Rodríguez as a 'communist' and 'main ally and representation of the Russian regime, the Chinese and Iranians,' while insisting that label does not reflect the Venezuelan people or armed forces.
- Machado said she was 'very impressed' by Trump’s level of information on Venezuela but declined to detail whether she asked him to avoid meeting Rodríguez or to seek the arrest of Maduro ally Diosdado Cabello.
- A U.S. official confirmed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Rodríguez in Caracas on Thursday at Trump’s direction to build trust and lay groundwork for continued collaboration with Venezuela’s interim government.
3:31 PM
WATCH LIVE: Maria Corina Machado holds news conference after gifting Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump
New information:
- AP/PBS piece confirms Trump publicly claimed on social media that Machado 'presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize' and that she 'left the medal for him to keep.'
- The White House released a new Oval Office photo showing Trump holding the medal in a large frame whose inscription thanks him for 'principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.'
- Machado told reporters she presented the medal 'as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom' but indicated Trump gave few specifics on any timetable or path for elections in Venezuela.
- The article reiterates that despite this public gesture, Trump has effectively sidelined Machado and is signaling a willingness to work with acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former No. 2.
- The AP reiterates the Nobel Institute’s position that Machado cannot legally give or transfer the prize to Trump, underscoring that the act is symbolic.
6:12 AM
Venezuela's Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump during their meeting
New information:
- NPR confirms the presentation took place during a Jan. 15 Oval Office meeting and describes Trump holding the medal in a framed display the White House later photographed.
- Machado quotes herself as telling reporters she presented the medal "as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom" and told supporters afterward, "We can count on President Trump."
- The framed inscription, as described by NPR, reads that the medal is a "personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people" recognizing Trump’s "principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela."
- NPR adds that Trump has "effectively sidelined" Machado by signaling a willingness to work with acting president Delcy Rodríguez, and that Machado conceded Trump gave few specifics on elections or a democratic timetable.
January 15, 2026
11:40 PM
Machado presents Trump her Nobel Prize as uncertainty surrounds Venezuela's leadership
New information:
- On‑camera, María Corina Machado says she 'presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize' as recognition of his 'unique commitment' to Venezuela’s freedom.
- Machado explicitly tells reporters that whether she ever becomes Venezuela’s leader is 'up to President Trump' and that the opposition 'counts on President Trump for the freedom of Venezuela.'
- PBS recaps that two years ago she was banned from running, that her hand‑picked candidate Edmundo González was recognized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Venezuela’s 'rightful president,' and that González’s recognition was effectively sidelined after the U.S. physically captured Nicolás Maduro.
- The segment juxtaposes Trump’s new public line that Machado 'doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country' with his warm praise for Delcy Rodríguez as a 'terrific person' the U.S. has 'worked with very well.'
- PBS summarizes Rodríguez’s background as Maduro’s hand‑picked deputy, accused by activists of handing Venezuela’s security and economy to Cuba and Iran, while also noting she has released about 70 political prisoners (including five Americans) and opened oil to U.S. investment but is still not seen by rights advocates as capable of delivering rule of law.
11:32 PM
WATCH: Machado tells reporters why she presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump
New information:
- Confirms on camera that Machado presented her physical Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump during their Jan. 15 White House meeting.
- Quotes Machado saying she gave Trump the medal 'as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,' explicitly framing the gesture as crediting his role in Venezuela.
- Reiterates the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s clarification that the prize 'cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others' and that its decision 'stands for all time,' while noting it is unclear whether Trump physically retains the medal.
6:52 PM
María Machado visiting Trump after offering to share Nobel with him
New information:
- Confirms that President Trump is hosting María Corina Machado for lunch at the White House on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, rather than merely planning to meet her later.
- Reports White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s on‑record statement that Trump “was looking forward” to a “good and positive discussion” with Machado but that his view has not changed that it would be “tough” for her to lead because she lacks sufficient support and respect inside Venezuela.
- Details Machado’s Fox News remark that she wants to “give” and “share” her Nobel Prize with Trump for the “historic” removal of Nicolás Maduro, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee chair’s clarification that Nobel Prizes cannot be shared or transferred.
- Adds Pentagon confirmation of the seizure of yet another Venezuela‑linked oil tanker in the Caribbean — at least the sixth — and notes that the U.S. has completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil for $500 million, with Trump saying the U.S. aims to sell up to 50 million barrels or more.
4:54 PM
Trump set to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Machado
New information:
- Confirms the Machado–Trump meeting is set for Thursday at the White House and that she will also meet in the U.S. Senate that afternoon.
- Adds Trump’s new public quote to Reuters describing Machado as a "very nice woman" and saying "we're just going to talk basics."
- Reports that Trump told reporters he had a 'great' and 'long' first call with acting President Delcy Rodríguez since Maduro’s ouster and that he thinks they are 'getting along very well with Venezuela.'
- Details that Venezuela has released several Americans this week and that Rodríguez is signaling a less strident posture toward Trump while continuing prisoner releases allegedly at U.S. urging.
- Reiterates and elaborates Trump’s earlier dismissal of Machado’s viability, saying it would be 'very tough' for her to be leader because she lacks support and respect in the country, despite her Nobel Prize and years as the face of resistance.
3:25 PM
Trump to meet with Venezuela’s opposition leader after praising ‘terrific’ Maduro loyalist
New information:
- Fox article spells out that a classified CIA assessment, requested by senior policymakers and presented to Trump, concluded Maduro’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez was best positioned to lead an interim Venezuelan government, and that this intelligence drove the White House decision not to back Machado.
- Provides on‑the‑record explanation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the administration avoided endorsing Machado to prevent repeating perceived 'mistakes' from Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, emphasizing this is a different 'mission' in the Western Hemisphere.
- Quotes Trump calling Rodríguez 'terrific' after their call and detailing that they discussed oil, minerals and national security, and reiterates that Venezuela will provide the U.S. with 50 million barrels of oil to be sold 'immediately.'
- Adds reporting that Trump has questioned Machado’s domestic support and respect inside Venezuela, calling her 'a very nice woman' but saying it would be 'very tough' for her to be leader, even as she publicly praises Trump for ousting Maduro.
2:36 PM
Trump to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Machado
New information:
- This MS Now piece appears to be a garbled or partial duplicate of the already‑documented development that Trump will meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House.
- No discernible new quotes, dates, conditions, or policy details can be reliably extracted from the corrupted article text beyond the basic fact of the planned meeting, which is already captured in the existing story.
5:41 AM
Trump set to meet Venezuelan opposition leader after cozying up to Maduro’s successor
New information:
- Trump is scheduled to meet Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday.
- Trump has recently told Reuters and other reporters that Machado is a "very nice woman" but reiterated that "it would be very tough for her to be the leader" because she allegedly lacks support and respect inside Venezuela.
- Trump said he had a "great" and "long" phone call with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and that they are "getting along very well," signaling ongoing U.S. willingness to work with Maduro’s former vice president.
- Rodríguez has indicated she will continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro, reportedly at the Trump administration’s behest, and Venezuela has freed several Americans this week.
- The piece recaps Machado’s political trajectory, her brief recent reappearance in Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize via her daughter, and her long history as a U.S.-aligned opposition figure dating back to her 2005 Oval Office meeting with George W. Bush.
January 14, 2026
11:11 PM
Venezuela's acting president vows to continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro
New information:
- Delcy Rodríguez publicly credits Nicolás Maduro with having started the current round of prisoner releases, signaling continuity rather than rupture with the prior regime.
- She frames the process as opening a 'new political moment' that will permit 'political and ideological diversity,' despite continuing hard‑line rhetoric against 'messages of hatred, intolerance.'
- Cabello’s central role in managing releases suggests that core Maduro security figures remain firmly in charge of coercive levers.
- Trump has already spoken directly with Rodríguez and praised the interaction, even as he prepares to host opposition figure María Corina Machado at the White House.
January 12, 2026
9:17 PM
Venezuela Opposition Leader to Visit White House on Thursday
New information:
- President Trump will receive Venezuelan opposition activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday.
- Machado has been politically sidelined since the Jan. 3 U.S. military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the U.S. for trial.
- Some of Machado’s aides fear the meeting could damage her movement’s political prospects if Trump undercuts her publicly or dismisses the need for a democratic transition.
9:43 AM
Venezuela begins releasing political prisoners, but hundreds remain behind bars
New information:
- Foro Penal places the current number of political prisoners freed at just 41 out of more than 800 as of Monday morning Jan. 12, 2026, underscoring the limited scope to date.
- The Venezuelan government says it has released 116 detainees in total, though it is unclear how many are political prisoners versus common inmates.
- Human‑rights lawyer Alfredo Romero of Foro Penal says most political prisoners are being tortured or subjected to cruel treatment, and notes some have died in custody, citing the recent death of detainee and police officer Edilson Torres after a reported heart attack.
- The release policy was formally announced Jan. 8 by National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez, who framed it as a gesture of 'national unity'; he is the brother of interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
- Among the first freed is opposition figure Enrique Márquez, arrested after publicly challenging Maduro over the 2024 election; he and others remain under legal charges and are barred from speaking to the media.
- Rights advocates are now pushing for a broad amnesty law because current releases leave charges intact and impose gag rules on former prisoners.
- The story reiterates that the ICC’s 2021 crimes‑against‑humanity probe of the Maduro government is rooted in documented torture of political detainees, providing international legal context for the current releases.
January 11, 2026
8:54 PM
Venezuela slowly releases prisoners for 3rd day after goodwill effort announced
New information:
- Identifies individual prisoner Diógenes Angulo, detained at 17 for posting a video of an opposition demonstration, and details his release after a year and five months in custody.
- Reports that as of Saturday night, rights group Foro Penal counts only 16 people imprisoned for political reasons released, with 804 still behind bars, undercutting vague talk of a 'significant' release.
- Clarifies that human-rights attorney Rocío San Miguel’s release is a precautionary measure with bans on speaking to the media and that her move to Spain is not formally defined as exile, according to her brother.
- Confirms that prominent opposition figures detained after the 2024 presidential elections — including Freddy Superlano, Perkins Rocha, Juan Pablo Guanipa and Rafael Tudares — remain imprisoned.
- Quotes Trump’s Truth Social post not only claiming U.S. pressure secured the releases but warning that if freed political prisoners 'forget' what the U.S. did for them 'it will not be good for them.'
2:56 AM
Trump says Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners ‘in a BIG WAY’
New information:
- Trump posts on Truth Social that Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners 'in a BIG WAY' and explicitly warns those freed that if they 'forget' U.S. help, 'it will not be good for them.'
- Fox reports, citing Reuters, that at least 18 political prisoners had been freed as of Saturday, though no comprehensive public list exists.
- The piece reiterates Pentagon details that Operation Absolute Resolve used more than 150 aircraft and took months of planning, underscoring the scale of U.S. involvement.
- Trump again frames the U.S. role as temporarily overseeing Venezuela’s transition of power and signals a willingness to escalate militarily if necessary.
January 09, 2026
6:06 PM
Venezuela releases imprisoned political figures and activists, which Trump says U.S. requested
New information:
- Article provides on-the-ground detail that relatives waited outside a prison in Guatire, Venezuela, chanting 'Libertad! Libertad!' as releases occurred.
- Specifies visual evidence of releases, including videos of Enrique Márquez and Biagio Pilieri embracing loved ones and Márquez video-calling family saying, 'Soon I will be with you all.'
- Adds scene-setting from Madrid, describing Rocío San Miguel and other freed Spanish citizens arriving at Madrid-Barajas Airport and being greeted by NGO representatives.
- Reiterates and contextualizes Trump’s Fox News comments in which he praised acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s government and said the releases came at U.S. request.
- Notes that Venezuelan National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez announced a 'significant number' of people would be freed, while the exact total remained unclear late Thursday.
12:22 PM
Venezuela releases imprisoned opposition figures, which Trump says US requested
New information:
- Identifies specific high‑profile Venezuelan opposition figures released, including Biagio Pilieri, a leader involved in María Corina Machado’s 2024 campaign, and Enrique Márquez, a former electoral authority and 2024 presidential candidate.
- Confirms that prominent Venezuelan‑Spanish human‑rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel is among the five released Spanish citizens.
- Includes on‑camera reactions and quotes from released detainees, such as Márquez video‑calling family and saying, 'Soon I will be with you all.'
- Provides a direct quote from President Trump on Fox News asserting the releases came at U.S. request and praising Delcy Rodríguez’s government: 'Everything we've wanted, they've given us.'
- Clarifies that Jorge Rodríguez framed the releases as a Bolivarian government 'gesture' broadly intended 'to seek peace' and that the total number freed remained unclear as of late Thursday night.
- Notes that opposition leader María Corina Machado, now in exile and not backed by Trump, called the move 'an act of moral restitution' while stressing that 'nothing brings back the stolen years.'
January 08, 2026
7:17 PM
Venezuela releasing 'significant number' of prisoners as gesture to 'seek peace'
New information:
- Jorge Rodríguez said on national TV that a 'significant number' of citizens and foreigners are being released from Venezuelan prisons and that the releases are happening 'right now.'
- The Spanish government confirmed the release of five Spanish citizens in Caracas and is coordinating their return, though no departure date is set.
- Venezuelan NGO Penal Forum reported that as of Dec. 29, 2025 there were 863 people detained in Venezuela 'for political reasons,' and its director Alfredo Romero called the releases 'good news' while pledging to verify each case.
- The article reiterates that the Trump administration, the day before, seized two sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and announced plans to relax some sanctions so the U.S. can oversee global sales of Venezuelan petroleum as part of its push to 'run' the country after Maduro’s capture.