Machado fails three attempts to reenter Venezuela as Rodríguez meets Trump

María Corina Machado made three unsuccessful attempts in 24 hours to return to Venezuela from Panama by boat, air and via Aruba and Curaçao, people familiar with her plans said. Her adviser Pedro Urruchurtu said on social media the efforts were among seven failed attempts since she left clandestinely nine months ago, confirmed by a spokesperson. The attempts coincided with acting President Delcy Rodríguez meeting President Donald Trump on Sept. 22 at the UN General Assembly, with Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent also attending. Daughter Ana Corina Sosa told NTN24 “Right now she is trying to return, at this moment,” noting many forces after accepting a leadership award for Machado who joined virtually. Machado hid after the 2024 election, left to collect her Nobel, and had a June plane divert; U.S. officials urged postponement after June earthquakes. ABC gave no details on who blocked the attempts, and whether they were coordinated with Washington was unclear. She has 53 percent positive image per AtlasIntel for Bloomberg and is expected to address the issue later.