The White House is said to have accused Maria Corina Machado of undermining national security objectives
White House officials have become “frustrated” with anti-Maduro Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado over her comments on the timing of Venezuela’s elections, Politico reported Friday, citing unnamed sources.
Earlier this week, Machado—an opposition leader who backed U.S. intervention in Venezuela and the January abduction of President Nicolas Maduro—told Politico that elections could be held relatively quickly, suggesting a nine- to ten-month window as feasible.
A White House adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity to the outlet, said Machado’s remarks “rubbed some people the wrong way,” with the official charging her with “undermining the president’s policy successes”—including the release of political prisoners, joint law enforcement efforts between the two nations, and other areas of cooperation.
“All Maria Corina Machado does is try to dismiss all of this… she’s selfish,” the adviser stated. “None of this is ‘Operation Maria Corina Machado.’ It’s ‘Operation U.S. National Security,’ which has nothing to do with her. She’s a spoiler and she’s working against U.S. national security goals.”
Another individual close to the White House said the former congresswoman “shouldn’t be weighing in on a timeline,” adding that “[24] months is a more realistic time frame.”
In a statement to Politico, the White House emphasized that elections can’t happen “overnight” and will take place “at the right time,” noting that U.S. President Donald Trump’s top priority is rebuilding the country before an election is held.
Machado’s office dismissed the criticism as “media noise” and rumors, insisting the opposition is “closely aligned” with the U.S. government “in our approach.”
Trump previously questioned Machado’s fitness for office, saying she “doesn’t have the support or respect within the country.”
Machado—a former congresswoman with longstanding ties to Washington who has led anti-government protests—was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December for what the committee called her fight for a peaceful democratic transition. She later gave the medal to Trump, though the Nobel Committee has stressed the prize “cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others.”