The president’s remarks left opposition leaders and Machado’s team stunned and saddened, according to people familiar with the matter. Before leaving to collect her Nobel last month, Machado had been living in hiding in Venezuela, refusing to leave her country as she pressed the international community to condemn Maduro’s regime for human rights violations and election tampering. She had been adamant that her group was ready to lead the day Maduro was no longer in charge.