In a significant development in the ongoing Venezuela crisis, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the country's principal opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has publicly commended United States President Donald Trump for his role in toppling the government of Nicolas Maduro. Machado, who has been in exile, has vowed to return to her homeland to lead what she calls a democratic transition.
Machado's Defiant Pledge and Electoral Confidence
Speaking from abroad, Maria Corina Machado made a bold declaration about her imminent return. "I'm planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible," she stated. She expressed strong conviction in her party's popular mandate, asserting that they had decisively won the 2024 presidential election despite what she described as fraudulent conditions. "We won an election in 2024 by a landslide under fraudulent conditions. In free and fair elections, we will win over 90% of the votes," Machado claimed with confidence.
Her comments come after a period in hiding, following which she escaped Venezuela in October 2025 to travel to Oslo and receive the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. The opposition, along with several international observers and US allies, maintains that the 2024 election was rigged, with Machado herself being banned from running.
Trump's Stance and the Complicated Interim Leadership
While Machado praises President Trump, the American leader's recent statements and actions present a more complex picture. Trump has indicated a willingness to work with Venezuela's interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, who has historically been a close ally of Nicolas Maduro. Trump emphasized the need for stability before any electoral process, telling NBC, "We have to fix the country first. You can't have an election. There's no way the people could even vote." He has also previously questioned the breadth of Machado's support within Venezuela.
Machado, however, issued a severe condemnation of Delcy Rodriguez, painting her as an unfit leader for the nation's future. "Delcy Rodriguez, as you know, is one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, narco-trafficking," Machado alleged. "She's a main ally and liaison of Russia, China, Iran, certainly not an individual who could be trusted by international investors and she's really rejected by the Venezuelan people."
A Landmark Day for Justice and the Road Ahead
Reflecting on the recent political upheaval that led to Maduro's ouster, Maria Corina Machado reserved her highest praise for Donald Trump. She characterized January 3rd as a historic date, marking the defeat of tyranny. "He has proven to the world what he means. January 3rd will go down in history as the day justice defeated a tyranny," she said.
Thanking the US President for his "courageous vision and the historical actions he has taken against this narco-terrorist regime," Machado framed the events as a critical juncture. She concluded that this represents "a huge step towards a democratic transition" for Venezuela, a nation mired in economic collapse and political strife for years. The path forward remains fraught with challenges, as the international community watches how the dynamics between the US, the interim government, and the emboldened opposition will unfold.
