Machado, Rubio Teams to Hold Talks on Venezuela Transition Plan That May Offer Amnesty to Some Regime Officials - REPORT

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has advanced a structured plan for a democratic transition following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, with alleged formal talks already underway with U.S. officials, according to a sprawling report from El Español.

Machado left Madrid this week after a massive demonstration carrying what her team describes as a "roadmap" for transition, which is now being discussed in meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials in Chicago.

The report was denied by Machado's team on X, but the White House and the State Department hadn't done the same by the time this article was initially published.

"That report is false. We don't know where that information came from or what it says about our teams," Vocería Oficial de Venezuela said.

According to El Español, negotiations would be held in a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office, and would bring together opposition representatives and U.S. authorities in what appears to be a coordinated effort to define the next phase of Venezuela's political future, as El Español details.

The plan is organized into three working groups — Control, Finance, and Political and Social Action — designed to operate in coordination rather than independently. Machado is expected to lead the finance group, while former Chávez ally turned critic Ismael García heads the control team, reflecting his long-standing role in building legal cases against senior figures in the Venezuelan government. A third group, focused on political and social strategy, is led by a U.S. official whose identity has not been disclosed.

According to those involved, the objective is to lay the groundwork for a negotiated transition that could include elements such as partial amnesty for some members of the ruling movement in exchange for cooperation.

The news of the talks come after Maduro's capture in January, an event that has reshaped the political landscape but left unresolved questions about the country's leadership. Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following his removal, has sought to consolidate her position, with analysts warning that delays in advancing a transition could strengthen her hold.

"Every day that María Corina Machado is outside the country is a day that Delcy Rodríguez can consolidate and strengthen herself to stay in power," said Brian Naranjo, a former U.S. State Department official, during a recent interview with The Herald, while other analysts have similarly cautioned that improving economic conditions, driven by rising oil production and eased U.S. sanctions, could bolster the interim government's standing.

Opposition figures have indicated that Machado's eventual return to Venezuela is under consideration as part of a broader strategy to accelerate political change. Omar González described the move as a "definitive decision," while stressing that it is "not dependent on authorization from Washington," even as coordination with U.S. officials continues.