Opposition figure Maria Corina Machado speaks at an anti-government demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 9, 2025.
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Alfredo Lasry R/Getty Images
María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recently spoke with NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, describing Venezuela as engulfed in turmoil and urging the ousting of the country’s authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro.
While remaining concealed within Venezuela, Machado, known for her far-right stance, condemned Maduro as a usurper who unlawfully secured a third presidential term amid widespread allegations of electoral fraud.
“Let me be unequivocal: the Venezuelan people demanded a regime change on July 28, 2024,” Machado declared during her conversation with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe, referencing last year’s disputed election.
Contrary to the regime’s claim that Maduro’s removal would plunge Venezuela into disorder, Machado insisted, “The country is already mired in deep and total chaos.”
Excluded from the presidential race by Maduro’s government, Machado supported opposition candidate Edmundo González as Venezuela grapples with a severe political and economic crisis that has driven over 20% of its population to seek refuge abroad.
Since the late 1990s, Machado has been a vocal opponent of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). A former member of the National Assembly, she has endured assassination attempts, legal persecution, disqualification from elections, and has been forced into hiding under Maduro’s regime, who took over after PSUV founder Hugo Chávez’s death in 2013.
“Our victory in the presidential election was overwhelming, supported by more than 85% of the original vote tallies. This is acknowledged worldwide-even by Maduro’s own supporters,” Machado asserted.
Numerous countries in Latin America, along with the United States, have condemned Maduro for manipulating the electoral process to cling to power. Under his rule, Venezuela has suffered rampant corruption, economic collapse, and severe restrictions on freedom of expression.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of orchestrating a drug trafficking network and authorized lethal strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics. The U.S. State Department has also offered a bounty of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture.
Machado echoed these allegations, accusing Maduro of running a cartel and attributing the drug-related attacks and international tensions to his actions.
“This cartel is deliberately destabilizing the region and undermining U.S. institutions by turning Venezuela into a sanctuary for adversaries such as Iran, China, Russia, Hezbollah, Hamas, and others,” she explained.
“This conflict was initiated by Maduro, not by us.”
When questioned about her stance on a potential U.S. military intervention to depose Maduro, Machado refrained from speculating on President Trump’s decisions but praised him as a crucial ally in recognizing the danger Maduro poses.
“Peace cannot exist without liberty, and liberty requires strength,” Machado emphasized.
“We are confronting a criminal regime that has employed violence and exploited Venezuelan resources against innocent citizens. Many are imprisoned, tortured, persecuted, and even killed. This must end-impunity cannot continue.”
Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to President Trump, whom she has supported and urged to assist in restoring democracy to Venezuela.
Asked if this dedication was intended to motivate Trump to act against Maduro, she responded, “I dedicated it to both the Venezuelan people and President Trump because it was the right thing to do.”
“It is a fair tribute, not only for his recent efforts to resolve longstanding global conflicts but also for his current work in the Americas,” she added, expressing hope that Maduro’s removal would pave the way for the downfall of other authoritarian regimes in Cuba and Nicaragua.
