U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is expected to come to Washington next week, and he looks forward to meeting her.
The announcement comes after U.S. strikes in Venezuela led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
During an interview on Fox News’ Hannity, Trump was asked whether he planned to meet Machado following recent U.S. military action in Venezuela. “Well, I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” he said, without offering further details.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the meeting’s date or agenda.
First meeting since nobel peace prize
If it takes place, this will be Trump’s first meeting with Machado, who said earlier in the week that she had not spoken to the U.S. president since winning the Nobel Peace Prize in October.
Machado, a key Venezuelan opposition figure, has gained international attention as a critic of Maduro’s government.
The future governance of Venezuela remains uncertain. Trump, over the weekend, dismissed the idea of closely working with Machado, saying she “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country.”
Trump told Hannity that it would take time before Venezuela could hold elections. “We have to rebuild the country. They couldn’t have an election … They wouldn’t even know how to have an election right now,” he said.
Venezuela, one of the world’s largest oil producers and an OPEC member, has become a central focus of the Trump administration. A senior official told Reuters that oil sales to the United States will begin immediately, with an initial shipment of about 30 million to 50 million barrels, and will continue indefinitely.
Trump said he will meet with U.S. oil executives at the White House to discuss plans to rebuild Venezuela’s oil sector. According to the president, U.S. companies are expected to invest heavily in restoring the industry.
“They’re going to rebuild the whole oil infrastructure … at least $100 billion, and it’s unbelievable oil that they have,” Trump said.
