Since the capture by the US of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, Venezuela has undergone sweeping – if uneven – changes. Opposition leader María Corina Machado – in Washington at the time – did not attend Trump’s state of the union address last month. Recently released from detention, Márquez described satisfaction with the US operation and has since returned to Venezuela without interference. In response to Rodríguez’s warnings that Machado must answer to Venezuelan authorities, Trump said such remarks reflected Rodríguez’s political obligations. [ Why Trump has refused to back Venezuela’s ‘Iron Lady’Opens in new window ]Civil liberties remain frozen.

Source: The Irish Times March 10, 2026 14:34 UTC