A match made in opposition: Venezuela’s Machado courts Spain’s right wing

Key Points:

• Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado aligns with Spain’s conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox on economic liberalism but diverges on social issues like abortion, where she holds more conservative views.
• Machado declined to meet Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, citing his hosting of a left-wing Latin American summit in Barcelona, instead engaging with opposition leaders from PP and Vox during her visit.
• Analysts note Machado leads a fragmented Venezuelan opposition, contrasting with Feijoo's well-organized PP, and suggest her refusal to engage with the Spanish government may hinder her presidential ambitions.
• While Machado supports free trade and a smaller state similar to PP leaders, she opposes abortion except in cases of rape, aligning her more closely with conservative social values and the Catholic Church, unlike Feijoo who supports abortion rights.
• Machado’s political stance has shifted from strong support for former US President Trump to closer ties with Senator Marco Rubio, reflecting evolving alliances within the US MAGA movement regarding Venezuela.