THE HAGUE – The Dutch government is facing questions over its possible role in preventing Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado from traveling back to Venezuela through Aruba and Curaçao, after both Caribbean islands reportedly denied landing permission for the journey.
Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant has raised questions about the involvement of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the restrictions that ultimately frustrated Machado’s attempt to return to Venezuela.
According to an account by journalists David Alandete and Idania Chirinos, who were accompanying Machado in Panama, plans were made for the Venezuelan opposition leader to travel through the Dutch Caribbean on her way back to Venezuela. However, landing permission was reportedly denied by both Aruba and Curaçao.
The Aruba representation in The Hague indicated that because the matter involved a prominent political figure, the decision was not exclusively within the competence of the island authorities.
Foreign affairs are a Kingdom responsibility, meaning that the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten operate within the Kingdom framework on such matters.
That explanation has shifted attention toward The Hague, although it does not establish which authority ultimately decided that Machado could not travel through the islands or the specific reasons for the restrictions.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten did not confirm or deny that his government had played a role in obstructing Machado’s journey when questioned about the matter.
Jetten said his reluctance to discuss the details was related to the Netherlands’ cooperation with the Venezuelan opposition and its responsibility to consider the security of opposition leaders.
At the same time, the Dutch prime minister said Machado should be free to return to Venezuela. He also indicated that he had raised the issue of her ability to return with Delcy Rodríguez.
The controversy is particularly relevant for Aruba and Curaçao because of their geographical proximity to Venezuela and their constitutional position within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
While both countries have autonomy over most domestic affairs, foreign relations fall under the responsibility of the Kingdom. Decisions involving politically sensitive international travel can therefore involve authorities beyond the governments in Oranjestad and Willemstad.
The information reported so far does not establish that the Dutch government itself ordered Aruba or Curaçao to deny Machado landing permission.
However, the explanation from Aruba that the issue extended beyond the island’s own authority, combined with Jetten’s refusal to disclose whether his government intervened, has fueled questions about where the decision was made.
No official explanation has yet established who ordered the restrictions, what legal or security considerations were involved, or whether the governments of Aruba and Curaçao supported the decision.
Until those questions are answered, allegations that the Netherlands deliberately blocked Machado’s passage through the Dutch Caribbean remain unconfirmed.