María Corina Machado backs Donald Trump, US military operation
Machado won the early stage of the country’s presidential election in 2023 but was prevented from participating in the final vote, choosing to support former diplomat Edmundo González, who won the final race. Gonzalez is currently in Spain after Maduro refused to resign after losing the election.
Machado lived in hiding in Venezuela for more than a year before landing in Oslo to receive the Nobel Prize in December, but did not reveal his location when he spoke to Fox News. He said he last spoke with Trump on December 10 and dedicated the peace prize to the US president and the people of Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump addresses House Republicans in Washington on Tuesday.Credit: access point
Trump has publicly warned that Rodríguez will pay a “very big price” if he doesn’t get his way, but that hasn’t deterred him from keeping two of Maduro’s top lieutenants, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello Rondón, in office.
Cabello Rondón is named as a defendant in the US indictment against Maduro and is held responsible for the crackdown on civil society leaders.
Pointing out that journalists were detained by the interim administration in Caracas, Machado said, “What we have seen in the last 24 hours is really worrying.”
“As you know, Delcy Rodríguez is one of the main architects of torture, oppression, corruption and drug trafficking.
Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Vice President of Venezuela.Credit: Getty Images
“He is the main ally and point of contact for Russia, China and Iran and is certainly not someone international investors can trust.”
While Trump has not made any promises regarding elections in Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the priority is the security of the United States and that next steps will take time.
The US administration has sent conflicting messages about whether it is “ruling” the country, as Trump at one point claimed, and has yet to outline a transition to a new government.
At the same time, there are doubts about whether major US companies will invest in the oil industry due to geopolitical risks.
Supporters in Caracas are demanding the return of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.Credit: access point
Machado told Fox News that he won the 2023 election by a landslide and wants a “free and fair” election, asserting his identity as a future leader who can bring stability to the country and restore a market economy.
“We will win with over 90 percent of the votes. I have no doubt about that,” he said.
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While Trump talks about opening up the oil industry to U.S. companies, Machado has set out an agenda to transform Venezuela into a strong U.S. ally with a market economy.
“We will transform Venezuela into America’s energy power,” he said.
“We will bring the rule of law, we will open the markets, the security of people and investments will be ensured.
“We will bring the millions of Venezuelans who were forced to flee our country back home to build a strong nation, a prosperous nation and an open society.
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“We will leave behind us all the destruction that the socialist regime, the criminal regime, has brought to our people and made Venezuela the main ally of the United States in Latin America.”
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