A senior State Department official reportedly clashed with the Trump administration over María Corina Machado's efforts to return to Venezuela following last month's deadly earthquakes, with internal disagreements allegedly leading to conflicting messages to foreign governments and confusion over U.S. policy.
According to Axios, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau twice miscommunicated Washington's position on Machado's travel plans to foreign officials, prompting internal disputes within the State Department.
Citing seven senior administration officials, the outlet reported that some officials believed Landau had "gone rogue" by appearing to support Machado's return despite the administration's stated position that it would not facilitate her entry into Venezuela.
The dispute emerged after the June 24 earthquakes, which has killed more than 3,500 people. Machado, who has been living in exile in the United States and lacks a valid Venezuelan passport, sought to return to Venezuela to participate in relief efforts. U.S. officials, however, have argued that her return during the emergency response would complicate humanitarian operations and political stability.
Axios reported that Landau appeared to tell Dutch Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar that Machado's proposed trip through Curaçao reflected U.S. policy and had Secretary of State Marco Rubio's backing.
Dutch authorities initially approved the request before reversing course after seeking clarification from senior U.S. officials, forcing Machado's plane to return while still in flight. Landau denied misrepresenting U.S. policy through a State Department spokesperson, saying his remarks had been misunderstood.
According to Axios, Landau later exchanged text messages with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha that also appeared to suggest Washington supported Machado's travel plans. The outlet further reported that Landau later confronted U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Venezuela John Barrett, accusing him of making statements that were too favorable toward Venezuela's interim government.
The State Department denied reports of internal divisions. "The State Department is in lockstep behind President Trump and Secretary Rubio in advancing the president's foreign policy agenda," spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Axios. "Deputy Secretary Landau is a trusted member of the department's leadership team. Any claims to the contrary are simply false."
The reported disagreements come as relations between Machado and the Trump administration have deteriorated in recent weeks. The New York Times reported last week that the White House has urged Machado to delay her return, arguing that it could undermine ongoing disaster relief efforts and its cooperation with interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
U.S. officials have also reportedly questioned whether Machado has sufficient political leverage to lead a post-Maduro government, opting instead to prioritize stability, reconstruction and economic recovery before pursuing democratic elections.
Machado, who has repeatedly said she wants to return to accompany Venezuelans affected by the disaster, has accused the interim government of obstructing relief efforts. Analysts consulted by Deutsche Welle on Tuesday said the earthquakes have exposed growing differences between Washington's focus on stability and investment in Venezuela and Machado's push for a faster political transition, raising questions about the future of what was once one of the closest relationships between the Venezuelan opposition and the United States.
