On the one hand, the Venezuelan exiles want quick elections, a Machado victory, and the complete destruction of the Chavez/Maduro/Delcy regime. These are Marco Rubio’s people, and he probably agrees with them. On the other hand, Trump has struck deals with Delcy that give him a vested interest in the continued viability of the regime. The conflict here is obvious.
Machado’s return to Venezuela is going to throw gas on the fire. I expect her to start holding rallies and demanding free elections in early 2027. The regime won’t have the nerve to arrest her, so it will play for time. At some point, Machado will lose patience with the delays, and everything will hit the fan.
Will Trump authorize the regime to stamp out the opposition? Will Rubio remain on board if he does? TBD.