MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Machado congratulates De la Espriella and says Venezuela will soon follow suit

“As sister peoples, united by a common history and culture, we know that our future is also inseparably linked,” she wrote

Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado congratulated Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, and said Venezuela would “very soon” undertake a process of institutional and democratic strengthening similar to the one she said is beginning in the neighboring country. The Colombian president replied on Sunday thanking her for the support.

Machado posted her message on Friday, the day of the inauguration, on her X account. “As sister peoples, united by a common history and culture, we know that our future is also inseparably linked,” she wrote. She added that both countries would need to work together to guarantee the full exercise of national sovereignty in their respective territories, the safety of their people and the prosperity of both nations.

De la Espriella responded two days later through the same channel. “Colombia and Venezuela are sister peoples, united by a history that no border can separate. I long for the day when our countries can move forward together, with strong institutions, full freedom, security and prosperity for our people,” he said. He added that Colombia would always extend a hand to Venezuelans and to those who defend democracy and freedom.

The Colombian president took office on August 7 for the 2026-2030 term at a ceremony held in Cali, the country's first presidential inauguration staged outside Bogotá. He won the June 21 runoff against Iván Cepeda of the Pacto Histórico by 250,830 votes. Machado backed his candidacy during the campaign.

The exchange comes as talks proceed in Caracas between the government of acting president Delcy Rodríguez and a section of the Venezuelan opposition. The delegations, led by National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez and former lawmaker Dinorah Figuera, agreed on a first round of talks running through August 12. The process has the backing of the United States government.

Neither Machado nor fellow opposition figure Edmundo González Urrutia is taking part in those negotiations. Rodríguez has held the acting presidency since January 5, two days after Nicolás Maduro was captured in Caracas during a US military operation.

Colombia and Venezuela share a 2,219-kilometer land border running from the Caribbean to the Amazon, much of it through sparsely populated territory.

On Saturday, Venezuelan singer Ricardo Montaner addressed a message to the new Colombian president during a concert in Barranquilla, the city designated as the government's alternate seat. Montaner said Venezuela had endured severe abuses for 25 years and asked Colombia to help the country recover democracy and freedom. “I asked God to give the new president of Colombia wisdom, humility and awareness,” he said.