White House Disapproves Machado, Funds Regime That Jailed Her
When the White House expresses 'disapproval' over a Nobel nomination for María Corina Machado, an opposition figure who has faced disbarment and travel bans by the Venezuelan government, it's worth recalling the broader context. The U.S. government, under various administrations, has sanctioned Venezuela's oil industry, funded opposition groups (USAID and NED records confirm millions), and even
publicly backed coup attempts against the Maduro government. This isn't merely 'disapproval'; it's a carefully curated narrative to distance itself from the very consequences its policies often exacerbate, leaving activists like Machado in increasingly precarious positions. So, Washington finds it 'problematic' for someone it indirectly supported for years to get international recognition? One
might wonder if the concern isn't about Machado herself, but about the optics of acknowledging a 'democracy advocate' when U.S. sanctions continue to inflict widespread economic suffering on the very people she claims to represent. It's a classic case of 'we support freedom, just not the kind that makes us look bad.'