GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina# Machado told an audience in Washington,## D.C., today that she's confident# democracy will return to her nation.

AMNA NAWAZ: Almost two weeks after the U.S.# arrest of now former President Nicolas Maduro,## Machado revealed little of her own plans.

As Nick Schifrin reports, that# hasn't stopped the Trump White## House from engaging with the rest of# the Maduro regime it left in place.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, the first image of what# U.S.

officials billed as a historic meeting,## CIA Director John Ratcliffe greeting interim# Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez.

That## handshake and Ratcliffe's trip to Caracas# would have been unthinkable just weeks ago,## especially to visit U.S.-sanctioned# nationalist politician Rodriguez,## handpicked successor to captured# Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

But a U.S.

official says the meeting was a sign# of an improved U.S.-Venezuela relationship and## that Venezuela must block drug trafficking# and provide the U.S.

economic opportunities.

MARIA CORINA MACHADO, Venezuela Opposition# Leader: This has nothing to do with a## tension or decision between# Delcy Rodriguez and myself.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But in Washington today,## opposition leader Maria Corina Machado# urged the U.S.

to proceed with caution.

MARIA CORINA MACHADO: Delcy Rodriguez, yes,## she's a communist.

She's the main ally# and representation of the Russian regime,## the Chinese and Iranians.

But that's not the# Venezuelan people and that's not the armed forces.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Last night, Machado# gifted president her Nobel Peace Prize.## Only 150 have ever been awarded, and one will# now hang in the White House, dedicated to## President Trump's -- quote -- "principled and# decisive action to secure a free Venezuela."

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: And she gave me her Nobel Prize,## but I'll tell you what.

I got to know her.# I never met her before.

And I was very,## very impressed.

She's a really# -- this is a fine woman.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Machado praised the president, but# did not pull her punches, especially in Spanish,## in her criticism of a politician whom she# believes cannot deliver long-term stability.

MARIA CORINA MACHADO (through translator):# There are some things that Delcy Rodriguez may## be able to deliver, forced by power because she is# terrified of President Trump.

But there are things## that Delcy Rodriguez or any of the members of the# criminal structure will never be able to provide,## trust, rule of law, reconciliation,# citizen participation and support.

Never, never.

Therefore, it is# not sustainable, and she knows it.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But if that's what she argued# to the president, he was not persuaded.

QUESTION: Why ally with Delcy Rodriguez# and the remnants of the Maduro regime,## and not with Machado, who has the# support of the Venezuelan people?

DONALD TRUMP: Well, if you ever remember a# place called Iraq, where everybody was fired,## every single person, the police, the# generals, everybody was fired, and they## ended up being ISIS.

Instead of just getting# down to business, they ended up being ISIS.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Last month, I spoke# to Grey Bull Rescue's Bryan Stern,## who organized Machado's# daring escape from Venezuela.

BRYAN STERN, Grey Bull Rescue: She has# rock star level status in the country.## She got on a boat and that boat was not what most## people think.

It was a very small boat.# The seas were between five and 10 feet.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And now, for the first time,## Machado admitted she thought she# would not survive the journey.

MARIA CORINA MACHADO: So it was very# risky, dangerous and scary moment,## I have to say.

And it lasted several hours.# But at the end, as I say, we have worked,## moved ahead (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

NICK SCHIFRIN: "Thanks to the hand of God."

MARIA CORINA MACHADO: It# is a miracle.

And I'm here.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And so Machado continues# her campaign to deliver democracy## back to Venezuela and convince# President Trump of its potential.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.