María Corina Machado, a prominent opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, decried the current state of Venezuela as chaotic and called for the removal of President Nicolás Maduro in a recent interview with NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Speaking from within Venezuela, where she remains in hiding, Machado labeled Maduro an illegitimate leader who secured a third term through electoral manipulation.
“I want to be very clear with this: Regime change was already mandated by the Venezuelan people on July 28, 2024,” she stated, referencing the controversial election that took place last year.
Machado asserted that the narrative pushed by Maduro’s regime—claiming chaos would ensue if he were removed—is unfounded.
“Venezuela is in profound, total chaos right now,” she emphasized, challenging the regime’s claims.
Machado had been barred from running in the presidential race and had backed opposition candidate Edmundo González instead, as Venezuela grapples with a political and economic crisis that has led to over one-fifth of its residents fleeing the country.
As an enduring critic of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Machado has faced severe repercussions from Maduro’s government.
As a former member of the Venezuelan National Assembly, she has been the target of gunfire, legal threats, and harassment, ultimately forcing her into hiding.
Her accusations against Maduro were reinforced by multiple Latin American countries and the United States, who have collectively asserted that Maduro manipulated electoral processes to preserve his power.
“We won by a landslide in the presidential election, and we proved it with over 85% of the original tally sheets. The whole world knows that,” Machado explained.
She contended that even Maduro’s allies are aware of his defeat and the administration’s fraudulent practices.
Under Maduro’s rule, Venezuela has been plagued by corruption, economic collapse, and increasing repression of free speech.
The Trump administration had previously accused Maduro of overseeing a drug cartel and has even conducted operations against vessels allegedly transporting drugs.
The U.S. State Department has issued a reward of up to $50 million for information that could lead to Maduro’s arrest.
In her interview, Machado reiterated claims that Maduro operates like a cartel leader, pointing to his government’s actions as contributing factors to greater international animosity towards Venezuela.
“[The cartel] are destabilizing, intentionally, the region and undermining the institutions in the United States. They have turned Venezuela into the safe haven of the enemies of the United States – Iran, China, Russia, Hezbollah, Hamas, and others,” she stated.
Machado described Maduro’s actions as part of a broader war declared by him against democracy, indicating the severity of the situation on the ground.
When asked about the possibility of U.S. military intervention to oust Maduro, Machado refrained from commenting on whether President Trump would endorse such action.
However, she acknowledged the significance of President Trump’s support in recognizing the perceived threat posed by Maduro.
“You cannot have peace without freedom, and you cannot have freedom without strength,” Machado argued, reflecting on the painful realities faced by millions of Venezuelans.
“When you are facing a criminal structure, they have used violence and all the resources of the Venezuelan people against innocent people. People that are in prison right now that are tortured, persecuted and killed,” she added, advocating for urgent international intervention to save lives.
Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump as a gesture of gratitude for his assistance in steering Venezuela towards democracy.
In her statement, she clarified her dedication stemmed from her belief that it was the right course of action, highlighting Trump’s involvement in addressing global conflicts.
“I think it is fair, not only for what he has been doing in the last months to solve long and painful conflicts around the world, but precisely for what he’s doing right now for the Americas,” she explained.
Looking to the future, Machado expressed hope that Maduro’s fall could also lead to the demise of oppressive regimes in other nations, such as Cuba and Nicaragua.
image source from：npr
