The U.S. government is not placing any obstacles in the way of the return of opposition leader María Corina Machado to Venezuela, but the necessary conditions for this must be in place, said Luis Mendez, a U.S. official responsible for Latin America, on Wednesday.

“I think, however, that there is still work to be done regarding Venezuela so that she is not arrested upon her return,” he added before a House of Representatives subcommittee responsible for Latin American affairs.

María Corina Machado has been in exile since December 2025, when she left the country to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded.

Following the devastating double earthquake on June 24, she attempted to return to the country, without success, and accused the government of preventing her from doing so.

When asked whether the Donald Trump administration is putting pressure on Caracas—more specifically on Acting President Delcy Rodríguez—to ensure the right-wing opposition leader’s return to the country, Mendes replied, “Yes, we have made this clear to the interim authorities.”

“Elections must be held in Venezuela,” he added.

Interim President Rodríguez took office in January, following the bloody U.S. military operation that led to the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro and his transfer and imprisonment on U.S. soil. He governs under pressure from Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump frequently reiterates that he is in charge in Venezuela, a country that ranks first in the world in terms of confirmed oil reserves.