The tagline for the new Hay Festival of Cartagena, Colombia, is creating a buzz and some controversy. Inviting Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel laureate, María Corina Machado, has raised eyebrows and triggered fierce debate. The festival will take place on January 30. Many authors have spoken out against it and decided to withdraw in protest against Machado’s presence. They claim that her political priorities and intimate relationships with far-right bigwigs endanger national sovereignty of regional countries. This connection serves imperialist agendas as well.
Machado is well known as an outspoken critic of the current government of Venezuela under dictator Nicolás Maduro. Most recently, though, she’s made headlines with her disturbing statements about the potential for U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. She has stated that she “absolutely supports President Trump’s strategy” on the country, asserting that the “cost of staying in power” for Maduro must be increased “by force.” This position has led to backlash from many writers and activists who ascribe to a more anti-militaristic ethos.
Machado has received considerable media attention for her ties to far-right, authoritarian leaders throughout Latin America. This has included right-wing extremists such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro. These ties have intensified outcry against her invitation to the festival. Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump, a gesture that some interpret as an endorsement of his policies and actions regarding Latin America.
Outrage over Machado’s inclusion has created an intense counter-reaction. Later authors such as Laura Restrepo and Giuseppe Caputo have withdrawn from the festival in protest. Restrepo added, “We cannot allow Ms. Machado to have a platform. Her advocacy of harmful positions and activities threatens the health and safety of our people and undermines the sovereignty of our nations. This kind of imperialist intervention is not a matter for debate but rather a matter to reject unequivocally.”
Caputo’s op-ed made waves for good reason. He claimed that it’s hypocritical to invite someone who has championed U.S. destructive, interventionist policies. He remarked, “I think that, given the grave moment of escalating imperial violence, it is better to withdraw from a festival held on the shores of the bombarded Caribbean Sea, which has decided to invite someone who dedicated a peace prize to the fascist responsible for these crimes.”
Following the backlash, Hay Festival organizers have pushed back against this criticism. They stated, “It is important to clarify that the Hay festival does not align itself with or endorse the opinions, positions or statements of those who take part in its activities, nor their political views.” It is this intent that we would like to distinguish the festival’s platform from the antagonistic figures it still invites to speak.
Machado’s past complicates Blumenthal’s opposition in the best way possible. She recently fled Venezuela after more than a year in clandestinity. In the course of her near-fatal flight, she broke a vertebra. Her journey wasn’t over, she had to pass through dozens of checkpoints. A Special Forces veteran was ultimately responsible for orchestrating the entire operation after she survived a harrowing 12-hour journey at sea in an unstable vessel.
Even with her stormy past and the constant debate about her political stance, Machado is still determined to make an impact. She celebrated the election of ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast as Chile’s president, further aligning herself with right-wing political movements in Latin America.