STORY: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Wednesday (January 28) she told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that she wants to return to Venezuela as soon as possible, but stressed that broader security guarantees were needed not only for her, but for millions of Venezuelans displaced by years of political turmoil.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Rubio at the State Department, Machado said she hoped to go back once she completed meetings abroad, adding that hundreds of political leaders remain in exile or hiding inside Venezuela.

“But it’s not only about me,” Machado said. “It’s about hundreds of political leaders that have been forced to flee, and millions of Venezuelans around the world who want to return and rebuild their lives.”

Machado said any return would require assurances of personal safety, rule of law and democratic institutions, arguing that long-term stability in Venezuela depended on a genuine political transition rather than short-term stabilization.

She said Rubio shared her view that sustained investment and economic recovery would only be possible with democratic institutions in place, adding that Venezuela’s natural resources, infrastructure and human capital could drive growth if the rule of law were restored.

Asked about her role in a future government, Machado said leadership decisions must be made by Venezuelans through legitimate democratic processes, while calling the current authorities a “criminal regime” that has ruled through fear and corruption.

Machado also expressed confidence that future revenues from Venezuela’s oil industry could benefit ordinary citizens, saying safeguards were being designed to prevent corruption and ensure funds are directed toward priorities such as security, health, education and public services.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS AFTER MEETING WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO

RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JANUARY 28, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO APPROACHING JOURNALISTS WAITING FOR HER

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, IN EXCHANGE WITH JOURNALIST, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: “Are you asking for any help from the U.S. to get back to Venezuela? And what kind of assurances did you get from (Marco) Rubio today?”

MACHADO: “Well, I have told the Secretary of State that I want to go back to my country as soon as possible. Certainly, there are important meetings and agreements that we're working on abroad. And as soon as I finish working on those issues, I want to go back. But it's not only about me. It's about hundreds of political leaders that have been forced to flee. Many other hundreds or thousands that are in hiding right now in Venezuela that want to go out and accompany our people. And certainly millions of Venezuelans that are around the world, hundreds of thousands of those in the United States that want to go back and establish in their country. But that requires, as you say, assurances not only for your own security, but that that they will be able to, you know, reestablish their lives, invest and create opportunities for all. So these are conditions that need to be worked on not only for me, but for millions of Venezuelans.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, SAYING:

“Well, he also said that stabilization is not the same as transition. And that certainly he understands, as I believe, all democrats around the world, democrat citizens around the world, that the only way to have a stabilized process, a long term process in which we will have huge investments coming into Venezuela with a long term perspective, is having democratic institutions back in place.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, SAYING:

“This morning in the Congress, he (Marco Rubio) insisted in something that we've said several times, is that unlike other countries that unfortunately do not have the resources to pay for their own recovery, Venezuela has unique natural resources, has an incredible geographic location. We have infrastructure. But most important of all, we have talent, human resources, human capital in Venezuela and abroad. In order to put all these incredible opportunities and turn them into wealth and opportunities for all. And also bring in great business options for United States companies. We are talking about over a $1.7 trillion opportunity in 12 different sectors that we have already disclosed in which investments can be done. But that requires rule of law.”

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, IN EXCHANGE WITH OFF-CAMERA JOURNALIST, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: “…that you would play a role in a future government?”

MACHADO: “Well, that's a decision that was made by the Venezuelan people. I think at the end a legitimate government will be decided by the Venezuelan people, and that's something he has insisted, both him and the president. And I think that's what we all defend. You know, the people have the right to decide. And be in the center of this transitional process. Certainly we're facing a criminal regime that has not only the civilian, but also the military under terror, and that has destroyed our institutions, where this is perhaps the most corrupt regime in the history of humanity. And that's why we do need the support and a companionship of other democratic governments, such as the United States. But certainly at the end, the say (the decision) will be on the people of Venezuela.”

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, IN EXCHANGE WITH OFF-CAMERA JOURNALIST, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: “Are you confident that the revenue from Venezuelan oil will ultimately go to the benefit of the Venezuelan people?”

MACHADO: “Oh, absolutely. I believe that if something has happened in this last 27 years, is that the revenue from Venezuelan oil, minerals and other resources have gone to corruption one and secondly, to (Nicolas) Maduro’s and (Hugo) Chavez’s allies. Do you have an idea of how much oil was given for free to Cuba, for instance? We're talking about $63 billion, $63 billion that was given for free from Venezuela, with our people starving, to a communist criminal regime. So we do understand there is a huge fragility witness in Venezuela's institutions today. So there are being designed mechanisms through which we can assure that these resources will go directly to the Venezuelan people and invested in which our priorities today: security, health, nutrition, education and public services. So yes, I do believe that that's something that's been taken care of thoughtfully.”

12. WHITE FLASH

13. MACHADO THANKING JOURNALISTS AND WALKING AWAY