What’s happened since?

Days after it was revealed that María Corina Machado’s mother and five of her aides—besieged in the Argentine Embassy in Caracas for over 400 days—had left the country, we still have no clear details on how the situation unfolded. Machado’s camp calls it Operación Guacamaya (Operation Macaw), a nod to the colorful birds that soar over Caracas. In any case, this means a massive relief for Machado and her first win in Venezuela in a long time.

What we do know after the departure: regime agents raided the homes of Magalli Meda (Machado’s second-in-command) and her mother in Caracas. The home of senior campaign advisor Humberto Villalobos was also raided (both Meda and Villalobos were among those sheltered in the embassy).

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello was the top regime figure at home when the announcements came, as Maduro was visiting Putin in Moscow. The former claims the event was agreed in a negotiation. But so far, there’s notable silence from other top chavista leaders rather than a solid official explanation.

Takeways from Machado’s latest Fox News appearance:

• Framed the “extraction” of her mother and aides as evidence of a growing fracture within the Maduro regime, thanking the State Department and Trump.
• Emphasized Venezuela’s potential as the future energy hub of the Americas, claiming the country could represent a $1.7 trillion opportunity for U.S. companies and serve as a strategic “security shield” for the region—if Maduro is ousted.
• Touched on poverty, low wages, and the collapse of education in Venezuela, but offered no specifics on her next steps within the country.
• Reiterated her claim that Maduro leads Tren de Aragua (contradicting U.S. intelligence) and apologized to American victims of the mega gang.