By Luis Manuel Aguana
At this point, it seems impossible to analyze the situation unfolding in Venezuela without factoring in the emotional toll. There is so much rage—or the more fitting, raw term we use back home—so much powerlessness, and such an overwhelming accumulation of calamities. Many people wonder what we Venezuelans did to deserve such misfortune...
Just as we were beginning to fully process—after nearly five months (now six)—the joy of potentially seeing Maduro ousted and the hope of fixing the situation through a supposed political negotiation, a tragedy occurred that we still struggle to comprehend.
On June 24—the morning of the earthquakes—it became clear that the only remaining legitimate, institutional element in the country needed to be incorporated and recognized: the magistrates appointed in 2017 by the National Assembly (which was legitimate at the time). This was essential in the context of a negotiation between two completely delegitimized entities represented by Jorge Rodríguez and Dinorah Figuera (see Legitimate justice for the transition, in https://ticsddhh.blogspot.com/p/legitimate-justice-for-transition.html).
However, the stark reality of June 24—which logically points to a death toll exceeding 10,000, despite the regime's usual attempts to conceal the figures, and given the staggering number of collapsed buildings nationwide (especially in La Guaira) on a public holiday—suggests that a far more immediate solution is required. Yet, no one wants to face that reality.
No one wants to confront the fact that the Venezuelan people have reached their emotional breaking point over these events. One cannot simply dismiss the families of the thousands killed in the earthquake with a "it can't be done." Any solution to this tragedy that satisfies the average Venezuelan hinges on the IMMEDIATE ousting of this rogue administration—a gang of thugs literally stealing the belongings of the dead. There is no greater catalyst for social unrest than that.
Regrettably, the powers that be fail to grasp this for a variety of reasons. They will only realize it when violence erupts—if not now, while people are still grieving, then later, as rage mounts with every passing minute these criminals remain in power, blatantly obstructing the aid the world is eager to provide.
And the US, a country comprised of a multitude of different cultures, should be the first to understand this, especially its Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, of Latin American descent. Our emotions take precedence in any situation.
Until June 24, the Trump-Rubio plan was being implemented with the characteristic American coldness. They brought together two parties completely unacceptable to Venezuelans to negotiate. And we swallowed it because, even though we rejected it, deep down it was aimed at a peaceful escape from the Castro-Chavista-Maduro plague, but in the American way. Hence the need to also include the legitimate magistrates in that process, as mentioned in the article above.
But now the political situation has changed due to an event no one could have foreseen. Now the immediacy and necessity of political change are becoming urgent, and those who should be leading it, given the country's circumstances after January 3rd—the US—still believe they can maintain the same approach to political negotiation, leaving the Rodríguez regime in power in Venezuela.
On June 16th, I published an article stating that the political establishment in Venezuela lacked the necessary experience to address the emergency the country was facing. All they had been able to offer the population was a months-long wait for elections while people starved to death (see Venezuela: The Emergency Is Now!, in https://ticsddhh.blogspot.com/2026/06/venezuela-la-emergencia-es-ya.html). I never imagined this would be proven true, with events unfolding rapidly just a few days later.
Nature laid the problem bare with a death toll exceeding 10,000, yet I still see no one demanding anything else. And as I said before, THE DISASTER DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION, because Venezuela is in a state of EMERGENCY.
So, what would that immediate action be? First, demanding that the American overseer install a National Emergency Government RIGHT NOW, given that the crisis has become a nationwide outcry. They must finish carrying out the coup d'état initiated on January 3rd—by removing Maduro and his wife—and appoint a new government to manage the Venezuelan crisis. The primary cause of the population's widespread discontent—not only previously but especially now, amidst the earthquake tragedy—is the disastrous governance of Delcy Rodríguez and the heads of the country's public institutions, whose actions hinder and victimize the people. Such a move is nothing new for the Americans; they have intervened in the politics of other countries in the past. I won't list those instances here; just look them up on Google.
This course of action would lower political tension in the country and offer hope to Venezuelans—particularly the thousands affected by the earthquakes, who would gladly lend their cooperation and effort to rebuild what the regime and nature destroyed—not to mention the success it would represent for the Trump administration on the global stage and within the United States.
The Return of María Corina Machado (MCM)
MCM’s decision to return to Venezuela following the tragedy warrants special mention in this piece. To begin with, all Venezuelans have the right to return to their country, especially those who hold some form of political leadership. If there is ever an opportune moment for this, it is now.
However, two clarifications must be made regarding this matter. If the US has hindered or complicated MCM’s return because it might interfere with its policy plans for the country, then it is up to MCM to decide whether or not to align herself with that policy.
If MCM aligns herself with Trump regarding his actions in Venezuela, her presence in the country would destabilize the "tutor's" plans, given the current association with the regime until the completion of the plan's first two stages. In that scenario, her return—however well-intentioned—would trigger unnecessary violence with the regime and add to the death toll of the already dire situation facing Venezuelans. That is precisely why Trump does not want her in Venezuela.
But if, conversely, the US decides on a plan that reflects the true situation on the ground and aligns with the national sentiment of rejecting the Rodríguez regime, MCM could play a crucial role as a catalyst. She could help the US finally and decisively cast off the Castro-Chavista-Madurista plague that remained after January 3rd. We should all aim for this—MCM included—to ensure the US commits to a National Emergency Government for Venezuela *now*, regardless of whether she participates in it or not.
If there is any Venezuelan capable—by virtue of her status as a Nobel laureate—of picking up the phone to speak and meet with any head of state, business leader, politician, or institution worldwide, it is MCM. No one else. She alone can sway others to get the U.S. to change its policy regarding the monstrous regime it is shielding in Venezuela—and to address the humanitarian crisis that regime has spawned. That is the genuine help Venezuela needs right now, not her simply showing up in the country without a plan.
MCM could make a difference from abroad to bring about that change and return to the country only after it has occurred. She alone possesses the international political clout—unmatched by any other Venezuelan—to alter Trump’s plans for Venezuela. Coming to the country without first attempting to change the misguided course the Trump administration charted prior to the "earthquakes" would be an act of self-immolation without justification; it might well mean losing the last chance remaining for this long-suffering nation...
Caracas, July 2, 2026
Blog: TIC’s & Derechos Humanos, https://ticsddhh.blogspot.com/
Email: luismanuel.aguana@gmail.com
Twitter:@laguana
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