A day after she gave President Donald Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado insisted that her country was on an irreversible path toward democracy, even as Trump has spoken far more frequently in recent days about securing Venezuelan oil than bringing about free elections.

As millions of Venezuelans wait to see what will become of their economically and politically ravaged country, a battle has emerged between two female leaders for control over the nation’s future – and for the American president’s favor.

From sunrise, throngs of military personnel, government officials and civilians lined the route between Havana's airport and the Armed Forces Ministry to applaud home the remains of 32 Cuban troops killed in Venezuela as they passed by in a funeral cortege.

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a resolution on Wednesday that would have barred President Donald Trump from further military action in Venezuela without Congress' authorization, after the Republican president put pressure on party members who had supported it.

When Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado walked into the White House on Thursday, she came bearing the gift US President Donald Trump has long coveted: a Nobel Peace Prize.

U.S. President Trump on Sunday posted on his social media platform saying Cuba should make a deal with the U.S. "before it is too late."

Venezuela has freed Czech, Hungarian, Dutch and German citizens imprisoned in the country, their governments said on Friday, part of a flow of prisoner releases following the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro.