Trump admin blasts Machado's "grotesque political opportunism" after Venezuela quakes

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's repeated efforts to return to her home country after last week's devastating earthquakes there have outraged top Trump administration.

Why it matters: Machado's high-profile attempts to return have saddled the State Department with "extra needless drama," an official said, and threaten to inflame political tensions in Venezuela amid U.S.-assisted relief efforts.

• "It's political opportunism and it's grotesque," a senior administration official said, echoing four others.

Zoom in: Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who ceremoniously gave her award to President Trump after U.S. forces ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, once was a darling of Washington's foreign policy establishment.

• She led the Venezuelan political party that defeated Maduro in 2024. But Maduro stole the election. He was then ousted by the U.S. on Jan. 3.
• Since then, Machado has agitated to return home to Venezuela and her supporters have criticized U.S. policy that installed Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, as leader of the country.
• No date for a presidential election has been set.

Zoom out: The earthquake recovery and relief efforts have tested the new relationship between Washington and Caracas, where many citizens loathe their government and believe it has botched the response to the disaster that killed more than 1,700 people.

• In an interview with Univision, the top U.S. diplomat in Caracas, John Barrett, said the administration had "a great deal of confidence ... in the local authorities," which drew a negative response in Venezuela and its exile community in the U.S.

Behind the scenes: Machado, who has been living in the U.S. on an expired Venezuelan passport, has lobbied Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, Miami Republican members of Congress and Trump White House officials to help her return to Venezuela.

• But her aggressive advocacy has proven counterproductive at times.
• "Marco [Rubio] is at wit's end," said one U.S. official. "She has to be patient and she won't be, and it's driving him crazy."

Friction point: Tensions between the Trump administration and Machado boiled over when she tried to enter Venezuela after the June 24 earthquakes.

• On Friday, Machado tried to fly from Manassas, Va., to the Dutch island of Curacao, which she planned to use as a launchpad to enter Venezuela. Because of a miscommunication, a U.S. official said, Dutch officials believed the U.S. wanted Machado to return to Venezuela via Curacao.
• After the error was caught and Dutch authorities were told Machado's return was not U.S. policy, her charter plane was turned around while in flight.

On Sunday, Machado was in Panama City, Panama, and unsuccessfully tried to fly to Caracas.

• Copa Airlines blocked Machado from boarding, the Wall Street Journal first reported.

Both efforts caused trouble at the State Department because of confusion over communicating U.S. policy, which is officially "agnostic" about supporting or opposing Machado's desire to return to Venezuela.

What they're saying: In a video address to Venezuelans on social media, Machado said Monday, "I want to return to Venezuela to accompany you."

• "The regime wants to block my return to Venezuela, and the return of the thousands of Venezuelans who want to come to help."
• Machado did not return messages to Axios seeking comment.
• One of the sources said the U.S. government expects Machado to try again to enter Venezuela sometime soon.

Between the lines: U.S. officials say Machado's activism has been a hindrance internally at the State Department and could have terrible consequences on the ground if it leads to civil unrest in Venezuela.

• "Over 1,700 Venezuelans have been tragically killed," one of the senior U.S. officials said. "Thousands more are feared dead. Tens of thousands are living in tents with nowhere to go. And while we are focused on helping to respond to this calamity, she is making this all about herself."
• Said a third official: "The State Department is leading the biggest recovery effort in Venezuela. It's just not the time and place for Machado to use this as a political tool."