Machado says she will return to Venezuela to help quake victims

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Monday she is "willing to do whatever it takes" to enter Venezuela to help with the country's recovery efforts following last week's back-to-back earthquakes.

Machado, currently in Panama, accused the Venezuelan government of blocking her attempt to return to the country, and in a video posted on X said she "will be in Venezuela to help coordinate and encourage citizens' efforts during the emergency."

She did not provide further details about her plan to enter Venezuela.

Machado had been living in hiding in Venezuela since claiming victory in the country's disputed 2024 election. In December, she secretly fled Venezuela by boat to travel to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she later handed to US President Donald Trump.

Machado's desire to return to Venezuela has caused friction in Washington, where she has been asked to delay her return.

The opposition leader has contacted several US administration officials, including at the White House, the State Department, and Congress members, to seek support for her possible return to Venezuela, a White House official told Reuters on Saturday.

The capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in January had raised expectations among some opposition figures that Machado, 58, would take a leading role in governing Venezuela.

However, Trump threw his support behind Maduro's former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, saying Machado lacked the backing needed to lead the country in the near term.

Machado had said prior to the earthquakes that she expected to return to Venezuela before the end of the year.

"At this moment, I am willing to do whatever it takes, speak to whoever I need to speak to, in order to coordinate and serve our people," Machado said on Monday.

In a brief statement, the State Department told Reuters on Monday evening that it is "solely focused on continuing to advance our efforts in response to the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela," and made no reference to Machado's reported requests for Washington to facilitate her return.

HEALTHCARE STRAIN

Venezuela's healthcare system is under significant strain, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, with some hospitals damaged and others missing staff after deadly twin earthquakes last week.

More than 1,700 people have been killed and 5,000 injured after hundreds of buildings were flattened or damaged by the back-to-back 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes.

At least three health centres are critically damaged and six others are damaged or only partially functional, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told a Geneva press briefing.

"The rest remain operational (but) under significant strain," he said, referring to a survey of 21 health facilities.

"Preliminary findings reveal chaotic service delivery and patient flow, marked by overcrowding (and) growing surgical backlogs," he added.

Several healthcare workers specialised in maternity care in La Guaira remain missing, he said, creating what he called a critical gap in obstetric care.

The thousands of people displaced by the quakes are also at risk of disease outbreaks like yellow fever and dengue, especially given relatively low vaccination coverage, he said.