GOP rep rejects suggestion he isn't backing Venezuelan opposition

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart sharply rebuked a reporter who suggested he was not supporting Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado after Nicolás Maduro's capture, and he and two GOP colleagues affirmed their long-standing support.

Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart forcefully pushed back at a reporter who suggested he was not supporting Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado after Nicolás Maduro's capture. The exchange occurred amid wider debate about Venezuela's future leadership following Maduro's removal and transport to the United States. Díaz-Balart spoke alongside Reps. Carlos Giménez and Maria Elvira Salazar, and all three emphasized their long-standing opposition to the Maduro regime. Earlier the same day, President Trump expressed doubts about Machado's ability to lead Venezuela. Key points: - Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart publicly rebuked a reporter who suggested he was not backing Maria Corina Machado and said he would not accept that characterization of his or his colleagues' positions. - Reps. Carlos Giménez and Maria Elvira Salazar joined Díaz-Balart at a press conference and indicated agreement with his remarks. - President Trump had said he thought it would be difficult for Machado to be Venezuela's leader and questioned her support within the country. - Machado won the 2023 opposition primary but was barred from running, left Venezuela ahead of her Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, and has expressed praise for Trump. - Nicolás Maduro was captured in an operation the article reports was greenlit by President Trump, transported to the United States, and is set to face trial in the coming days; Delcy Rodríguez is serving as acting president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in contact with her. Summary: The confrontation underscored differing public statements about who might lead Venezuela after Maduro's ouster, with Díaz-Balart and two GOP colleagues stressing their support for Machado while President Trump voiced reservations. Maduro's capture and arrival in the U.S. have put legal proceedings ahead, with a trial expected in the coming days.