A sharp political conflict erupted in the Madrid Assembly following the visit of María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition. Her arrival coincided with a heated regional debate over the mass legalization of migrants, further escalating tensions between the government team of Isabel Díaz Ayuso and opposition parties.
María Corina Machado spent six eventful days in Madrid, gathering thousands of Venezuelans at Puerta del Sol square. Ayuso herself attended the event, openly showing her emotions. Machado declined a meeting with Pedro Sánchez, despite the prime minister’s willingness to grant her head-of-state status. Instead, she held talks with representatives from Vox and the most conservative wing of the Partido Popular, as well as Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
The domestic political struggle intensified after Ayuso and Machado criticized left-leaning Latin American leaders. The PSOE fears that withholding unconditional support for Machado’s policies could be interpreted as sympathy for Nicolás Maduro’s regime. At the same time, the government emphasizes that Spain did not recognize the recent elections in Venezuela and has granted asylum to thousands of Venezuelans—with over 85,000 applications received last year alone.
The Spanish authorities also took part in the release of political prisoners, including Rocío San Miguel, and organized the transportation of Edmundo González, who was temporarily recognized as the president-elect of Venezuela. Recently, Spanish citizenship was granted to Leopoldo López, one of the key opposition figures, who was stripped of his Venezuelan passport in violation of the country’s constitution.
Migration and political disagreements
Amid Machado’s visit, another acute issue is being discussed in Madrid — the mass legalization of migrants. Left-wing parties support granting residence permits to more than 500,000 people, while Ayuso is categorically opposed. She has already filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court, which has been accepted for consideration.
The issue of migration and attitudes toward the Venezuelan opposition became one of the main topics at the latest session of the Madrid Assembly this month. The standoff between regional authorities and the opposition is intensifying against the backdrop of a general rise in political tensions in the country.
Context and international disputes
Attention to Spain’s position on international issues remains high amid other conflicts as well. For example, Spain recently pushed for the suspension of the EU agreement with Israel but did not receive support from the majority of European Union countries. Read more about the reasons for the disagreements between Madrid and its European partners in the article on Spain’s position regarding sanctions against Israel.
