Machado urges US to back Venezuela’s democratic transition, wary of Maduro loyalists

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado urged U.S. leaders to push for a democratic government in Venezuela, criticizing interim president Delcy Rodriguez as aligned with the Maduro regime’s backers and warning that trust, rule of law, and citizen participation cannot be delivered by her or the Maduro remnants; the report notes a rare sign of warming ties as CIA Director Ratcliffe met Rodriguez, reflecting Washington’s cautious engagement while Machado continues her push for democracy and recounts her perilous escape from Venezuela.