María Corina Machado seeks no protection for Venezuela return; earthquakes reveal 'failed state,' she says

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has asserted that neither she nor her team require or have requested any form of protection or security resources for her planned return to Venezuela. Responding to concerns about her safety, Machado stated, "Everyone asks me: Who is going to protect you? Well, millions of Venezuelans."

Machado had announced her intention to return to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck the country on June 24. However, she later denounced that the government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, allegedly closed the airspace to prevent her return. According to The Wall Street Journal, the administration of then-U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Machado to postpone her trip, fearing a political crisis in the wake of the natural disaster.

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Yo no, ni nuestros equipos, requerimos ni hemos solicitado ningún tipo de protección ni que se asigne ningún tipo de recurso a seguridad.

Speaking to the press in a virtual encounter, Machado declared that the earthquakes, which have resulted in at least 2,595 deaths and 12,400 injuries according to government figures, have clearly demonstrated that Venezuela is a "failed state." She elaborated, "This week has evidenced that, the total absence of state capabilities... The country needs certainty."

Machado left Venezuela in December after spending nearly a year in hiding to avoid arrest. Venezuelan authorities have accused her of terrorism, conspiracy, and treason, charges she vehemently denies. She had traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025.

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Todo el mundo me dice: ¿Quién te va a cuidar? Bueno, millones de venezolanos.