Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Refuses to Meet Sanchez; Spain Calls it a Mistake
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado refused to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during her visit to Spain, though she met with major opposition parties. Spain's Foreign Minister called this refusal a "mistake."
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- 📰 Published: April 20, 2026 at 22:14
- 🔍 Collected: April 20, 2026 at 22:33 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 22:37 (3 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Madrid, April 20, International News) Spain's left-wing government stated today that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's refusal to meet with Prime Minister Sánchez while meeting with right-wing parties in Madrid was a "mistake."
According to Agence France-Presse, Machado, a recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, criticized the Spanish government's insufficient condemnation of human rights abuses in Venezuela during a large rally with supporters in Madrid on the 18th.
During her time in Madrid, Machado met separately with Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain's main opposition party, the conservative "People's Party (PP)," and Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right party Vox.
However, she told Spanish media that she declined to meet with Sánchez because such a meeting would not serve the "higher goal" of achieving freedom for Venezuela.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that Machado's engagement only with political forces on the Spanish political spectrum made her act like an "ideological leader."
Albares said in an interview with Spanish public radio, "I truly believe this is a mistake, and if it's with the far-right factions, the mistake is even more serious."
He also refuted Machado's criticism as "unfair," emphasizing that Spain had previously granted asylum to several Venezuelan opposition figures, including Leopoldo López, and had also provided asylum to Machado herself in Caracas.
Since leaving Venezuela in December last year, Machado has held talks with numerous world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking international support for the Venezuelan opposition. (Translator: Gao Zhaofen / Reviewer: Yang Zhaoyan) 04201150
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(CNA Madrid, April 20, International News) Spain's left-wing government stated today that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's refusal to meet with Prime Minister Sánchez while meeting with right-wing parties in Madrid was a "mistake."
According to Agence France-Presse, Machado, a recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, criticized the Spanish government's insufficient condemnation of human rights abuses in Venezuela during a large rally with supporters in Madrid on the 18th.
During her time in Madrid, Machado met separately with Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain's main opposition party, the conservative "People's Party (PP)," and Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right party Vox.
However, she told Spanish media that she declined to meet with Sánchez because such a meeting would not serve the "higher goal" of achieving freedom for Venezuela.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that Machado's engagement only with political forces on the Spanish political spectrum made her act like an "ideological leader."
Albares said in an interview with Spanish public radio, "I truly believe this is a mistake, and if it's with the far-right factions, the mistake is even more serious."
He also refuted Machado's criticism as "unfair," emphasizing that Spain had previously granted asylum to several Venezuelan opposition figures, including Leopoldo López, and had also provided asylum to Machado herself in Caracas.
Since leaving Venezuela in December last year, Machado has held talks with numerous world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking international support for the Venezuelan opposition. (Translator: Gao Zhaofen / Reviewer: Yang Zhaoyan) 04201150
Stand with the truth, and every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.