Venezuela’s Machado states that the Spanish Prime Minister’s leftist summit is the reason for not meeting with him
Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, announced on Saturday that she chose not to meet with Spain’s prime minister during her visit, as he was engaged in hosting a summit of progressive leaders in Barcelona.
Machado, a right-wing liberal and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has declined to meet with Spain’s leftist coalition government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, unlike her regular meetings with Sanchez’s right-wing adversaries. “What has transpired in the past few hours at the meeting he held in Barcelona with various political leaders from different countries is proof that such a meeting was not advisable,” Machado stated at an event in Madrid.
Sanchez stated on Friday that he was open to meeting Machado at any time, urging Venezuelans to determine their future democratically and free from foreign interference.
Machado is scheduled to be honored later on Saturday by one of Sanchez’s most vocal critics, Madrid regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso, before participating in a rally with the Venezuelan diaspora in the Spanish capital.
RETURN TO VENEZUELA
Machado commended Spain for its hospitality towards Venezuelan migrants, asserting that neutrality is no longer a viable stance concerning the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez, who governs following the U.S. military’s removal of President Nicolas Maduro in a January operation in Caracas.
Advertisement · Continue scrolling
Since that time, Washington has been working in collaboration with Rodriguez, aiming to enhance its involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry, which is crucial for the country’s economic recovery and stability.This week, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank resumed their dealings with Caracas after a hiatus that started in 2019.
Machado stated that she was working with Washington regarding her return to Venezuela to spearhead a democratic transition. She supported the IMF’s renewed oversight of the economy, stating that it would enable the central bank’s vaults to be opened, thereby disclosing the country’s gold reserves.
She also requested explicit details regarding the timing of upcoming elections.
“It is evident that currently, there are individuals who desire a democratic and free Venezuela, and those who wish to preserve the existing status quo … Simply inquire about when the elections should take place,” she stated.
