Machado Praises Trump, Skips Sanchez Meeting

It's April 18th.

Welcome to Canada News Today, powered by AI.

Venezuela's ex-out opposition leader, Maria Carina Machado, rallied several thousand

supporters in Madrid on Saturday.

She skipped a meeting with Spain's progressive prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, during his

summit with other world leaders.

Instead, Machado praised former President Donald Trump for removing Nicolas Maduro from

power back in January.

In her multi-country European tour, Machado has met with leaders from France, Italy, and

the Netherlands.

She handed her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump earlier this year, and slam Sanchez's gathering

as a bad idea.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's interim president, Delsey Rodriguez, has overstayed her 90-day

limit, even as the U.S. eases some sanctions.

The crowd-filled Madrid's Puerto del Sol, where Machado stood with the city's conservative

regional leader, a big critic of Sanchez.

Spain hosts 600,000 Venezuelans, the largest group outside the Americas, many who fled

persecution, violence, and economic collapse.

One attendee, a 27-year-old migrant, holds signs for her jailed cousins back home and hopes

Machado returns only if the current government steps down.

Machado insists she'll head back to Venezuela soon, though she won't say when or how.

She calls the interim setup chaos and terror, pushing hard for democratic elections.

She's in constant touch with Trump administration officials, trusting their step-by-step approach

to stabilize things.

With supporters fired up across Europe, Machado keeps the fight for freedom alive.