US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago
Machado’s past comments showed support for 'Israel', called for embassy move
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- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has publicly expressed strong support for ‘Israel’ and aims to deepen ties if elected.
- She has pledged to relocate Venezuela’s embassy to Jerusalem and praised ‘Israel’s’ actions.
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado previously expressed strong support for ‘Israel’ and indicated that she aimed to strengthen diplomatic relations if she were to assume power.
In past statements, she pledged to relocate Venezuela’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and publicly praised ‘Israel’s’ actions, making support for the Jewish state a visible part of her international political vision.
In comments to foreign media, Machado said she would move Venezuela’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, signaling a symbolic shift and stronger alignment with ‘Israel’ compared with previous Venezuelan governments.
She told an ‘Israeli’ outlet at the time: “I promise one day, we’ll have a close relationship between Venezuela and Israel”, linking diplomatic cooperation to shared values of freedom and democracy.
Engagement with ‘Israeli’ leadership
Machado had previously engaged in direct contact with senior ‘Israeli’ officials. On October 17, 2025, she spoke by phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing support for ‘Israel’s’ role in securing a ceasefire and the release of captives, and describing ‘Israel’ as a partner against threats she said affected both nations.
Her past praise of ‘Israel’ drew attention partly because Venezuela under Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro had severed ties with the Jewish state and adopted a hostile stance, blaming it for regional violence and cultivating alliances with states opposed to ‘Israel’.
Domestic and international reactions
Machado’s pro‑‘Israel’ posture was controversial at home and abroad. Critics pointed to her public support for ‘Israel’s’ actions in Gaza, arguing that it complicated her image as a peace leader and noting her past social media posts backing the Jewish state. Some advocacy groups cited these positions when discussing her Nobel Peace Prize.
Supporters, however, framed her stance as part of a broader rejection of authoritarian regimes and alignment with Western democratic partners. Machado maintained that defending freedom and democracy, which she tied to strong international alliances, was central to Venezuela’s future.
Ahead of elections
At the time, Venezuelan politics remained deeply polarized. Machado’s willingness to make ‘Israel’ an explicit part of her foreign policy platform set her apart from rival factions. Her proposed embassy move to Jerusalem and public praise for ‘Israel’ indicated a potential pivot in Caracas’s international relations if she had won upcoming elections.
