The Trump administration reportedly has privately urged Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to delay her return home following the country's devastating earthquakes, amid concerns her arrival could undermine humanitarian relief efforts and destabilize Washington's broader strategy for the South American nation.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Machado was forced to abort an attempted flight from Virginia to the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao last week after U.S. officials became concerned she planned to travel by boat into Venezuela, where her return could trigger a political crisis during ongoing earthquake recovery efforts.
According to the report, Machado believed senior Trump administration officials had initially approved the trip, but Dutch authorities later revoked permission for her plane to land after Washington signaled it no longer supported the plan.
The White House has emphasized that earthquake relief remains its top priority.
A State Department spokesperson told the Journal that introducing "contentious political issues" during the humanitarian response would be counterproductive, while administration officials have continued encouraging Machado to remain patient until conditions improve.
Axios similarly reported Wednesday that senior administration officials viewed Machado's repeated attempts to return as an unnecessary distraction from U.S.-led relief operations.
One official described the effort as "political opportunism," while another said Washington's focus is on assisting earthquake victims rather than fueling political tensions.
Reuters previously reported that Machado had appealed directly to White House officials, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of Congress for help returning to Venezuela.
A White House official told the news agency the administration supports Machado's eventual return but questioned whether it should occur immediately after a humanitarian disaster.
The Journal reported Trump has instead continued working with interim Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez to stabilize the country following the U.S.-backed removal of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
Administration officials reportedly fear Machado's return could complicate ongoing relief operations and delay the path toward future democratic elections.
Despite those concerns, the Journal said Trump also warned Rodríguez not to interfere with Machado should she ultimately return, recognizing the opposition leader's strong bipartisan support in Washington.
Rubio reportedly told Machado the U.S. would not prevent her from traveling but believed it was not the appropriate time amid the ongoing recovery effort.
Machado remains determined to return.
After her Curaçao flight was turned back, she reportedly attempted to travel through Panama, but Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Caracas.
In a video posted on X, Machado said the earthquake tragedy made it "impossible to postpone" her return and vowed she intends to accompany the Venezuelan people as they recover from one of the country's deadliest natural disasters.