{"id":13564,"date":"2026-05-25T19:32:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T00:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=13564"},"modified":"2026-05-24T15:22:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T20:22:58","slug":"maria-corina-machado-reveals-three-phase-strategy-with-rubio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/maria-corina-machado-reveals-three-phase-strategy-with-rubio\/","title":{"rendered":"Mar\u00eda Corina Machado Reveals Three Phase Strategy with Rubio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panamanian-born Miranda is eight years old. She sat on her father&#8217;s shoulders waving a Venezuelan flag she has never seen flown in her homeland. The crowd on Panama City&#8217;s Avenida Cuba erupted as Guaco&#8217;s music played through loudspeakers. They were all waiting for Mar\u00eda Corina Machado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DYsxwv5RUon\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DYsxwv5RUon\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DYsxwv5RUon\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Mundo ConVzla (@mundoconvzla)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Venezuelan opposition<\/strong> leader arrived in Panama on Thursday as part of a regional tour. She called this stop &#8220;the scale of the return to build the country we love&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]. Machado spoke directly to the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Venezuelan_diaspora\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Venezuelan diaspora in Panama<\/a>, a community that has grown significantly over the past decade. Many families brought their children to hear her speak about a future free from persecution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panama currently holds custody of the original electoral records from Venezuela&#8217;s last presidential election. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oas.org\/en\/media_center\/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-042\/24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Panama electoral records custody<\/a> arrangement came after the Organization of American States requested their protection. These documents show <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Edmundo_Gonzalez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edmundo Gonzalez<\/a> won the election, a result Panama officially recognizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Machado Confirms Candidacy for New Presidential Elections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During a press conference in Panama City, Machado made her intentions clear. &#8220;I will be a candidate, but there could be others. Of course. I would love to compete with everyone, with anyone who wants to be a candidate&#8221; [Translated from Spanish], <a href=\"https:\/\/www.laestrella.com.pa\/panama\/nacional\/maria-corina-machado-en-panama-la-escala-de-vuelta-al-pais-que-amamos-LA22665853\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told reporters from La Estrella de Panama<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opposition movement now calls for fresh elections. This represents a shift from recognizing Gonzalez as president-elect to demanding a new electoral process. Machado explained a three-phase strategy developed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Phase 1 is stabilization, phase 2 is recovery and phase 3 is the transition with elections&#8221;, Machado said. &#8220;We evaluate this with serenity and today we understand that to favor, accompany and facilitate this plan, it is necessary that this process culminates as a phase in a presidential electoral process&#8221; [Translated from Spanish].<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The plan follows the capture of Venezuelan regime leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. He currently faces legal proceedings in the United States. Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, wants elections that are &#8220;impeccable&#8221; with participation from millions of Venezuelans who could not vote in the last election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"3840px Marco Rubio (24999272054)\" class=\"wp-image-13566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3840px-marco-rubio-24999272054-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marco Rubio By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America &#8211; Marco Rubio, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=47475739<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Diaspora Dreams of Returning to a Free Venezuela<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The International Organization for Migration reports that 7.8 million Venezuelans live outside their country. Most reside in Colombia, Peru and the United States. In Panama, Venezuelans represent about 38 percent of migrants entering the country. Official estimates show more than 77,000 Venezuelans currently live in Panama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Miranda&#8217;s parents have lived in Panama for 12 years. &#8220;We came because of the proximity, and because Panama had a lot of Venezuela. Its people, the culture, being close to family&#8221; [Translated from Spanish], her mother said while wearing the vinotinto jersey of Venezuela&#8217;s national soccer team. Tears streamed down her face as she continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We left because the situation was already unsustainable. Everything you can imagine in terms of insecurity happened to us and my husband and I wanted a future. Unfortunately in Venezuela we did not see it possible and we had to emigrate and plant roots and start a family here&#8221; [Translated from Spanish].<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hundreds of families like Miranda&#8217;s came to show support. Some have lived in the isthmus for over 13 years. Most do not plan to move back to Venezuela. But they all dream of a homeland that is free, without persecution, where their children can meet their grandparents and visit the beaches and national parks they grew up loving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Venezuelans Rally Panama\" class=\"wp-image-10509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/venezuelans-rally-panama-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rally in Parque Urraca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opposition Unity on Display in Panama City<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Machado arrived at the diaspora meeting with an energy between rock star and figure of devotion. She wore a white shirt, her hair in a ponytail, with many rosaries hanging around her neck. &#8220;A la venezolana!&#8221; she shouted as the crowd cheered back. Young people approached her crying, telling her how much they love her and that they dream of going to Venezuela. Followers stretched out their arms just to touch her skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Machado is not a messiah. She has placed her faith and trust in the United States government, even handing her Nobel Prize to President Donald Trump. The US discourse has focused on Venezuela&#8217;s economy but said little about restoring democracy. Trump has even shared his desire for Venezuela to become another US state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The real test will be the next elections in Venezuela. No date has been set yet. A transparent electoral victory would open the door to a Venezuela beyond American plans. &#8220;The fourth phase, that is ours, is the reconstruction of our country&#8221; [Translated from Spanish], Machado declared firmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For that, a united opposition is needed. In Panama, Machado appeared alongside opposition leaders including Antonio Ledezma, Delsa Sol\u00f3rzano, Juan Pablo Guanipa, Biago Pirelli, C\u00e9sar P\u00e9rez Vivas and Leopoldo L\u00f3pez. They all share one thing in common. Every one of them suffered persecution under the Nicol\u00e1s Maduro regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The crowd on Avenida Cuba did not disperse for hours. Parents held children who waved flags for a country they had never seen. Grandparents sang songs from their youth. And Mar\u00eda Corina Machado promised them all that the return journey had already begun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panamanian-born Miranda is eight years old. She sat on her father&#8217;s shoulders waving a Venezuelan flag she has never seen flown in her homeland. The crowd on Panama City&#8217;s Avenida Cuba erupted as Guaco&#8217;s music played through loudspeakers. They were all waiting for Mar\u00eda Corina Machado. View this post on Instagram A post shared by<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29,28,87],"tags":[1266,50,75,4483],"class_list":["post-13564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics-government","category-news","category-featured","tag-maria-corina-machado","tag-panama","tag-venezuela","tag-venezuelan-opposition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13564"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13567,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13564\/revisions\/13567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}