Maria Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, welcomed on Monday the American operation in Venezuela which led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. “We are going to make Venezuela the energy center of the Americas,” she said, indicating she wanted to return “as quickly as possible” to her country.
Published on: 01/06/2026 - 5:05 p.m.
She already sees herself as president of Venezuela. Even if Donald Trump does not support her to take the lead. Maria Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, said on Monday January 6 that she planned to return "as quickly as possible" to her country, two days after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro during an American military operation.
In an interview with the American channel Fox News, she detailed her political project, posing as the future leader of the country. “In free and fair elections, we will win with more than 90% of the votes, I have no doubt about that,” proclaimed the opponent.
Without indicating her whereabouts, Maria Corina Machado also strongly criticized Delcy Rodriguez, sworn in as interim president of Venezuela on Monday, saying that she was "one of the main architects of the torture" attributed to the Caracas government.
Delcy Rodriguez has indicated her desire to cooperate with Washington, but Ms. Machado believes that she is "rejected" by the Venezuelans.
Also read: Venezuela: American intervention tests international law and Congress
“Huge step towards a democratic transition”
Welcoming the American operation in Venezuela, the 2025 Nobel Peace laureate described Donald Trump's action as "historic" and said she wanted to "hand over" and "share" her prize with the American president.
“I would like to be able to tell him personally that we think, we the Venezuelan people – because it is a prize of the Venezuelan people – that we absolutely want to give it to him and share it with him. What he has done is historic. It is a huge step towards a democratic transition,” she said.
“We are going to make Venezuela the energy center of the Americas,” said the Nobel laureate, before continuing: “We are going to bring the rule of law, we are going to open the markets, we are going to need security for foreign investments.”
The Donald Trump obstacle
Maria Corina Machado's political project risks encountering a major obstacle. Because on Saturday, Donald Trump disqualified the opponent from taking the head of the country in place of Nicolas Maduro, believing that she “did not (benefit) from the support or respect within her country”.
He ruled out any election in Venezuela in the next 30 days, saying in an interview with the American channel NBC that the United States must "first put the country back on its feet".
Also readVenezuela under American supervision? Donald Trump's risky bet
Sunday on Instagram, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, Nicolas Maduro's rival during the last presidential election, described the president's dismissal as "an important step, but not sufficient." The exiled opponent called for respecting the results of the 2024 presidential election, which he says he won, and for the release of all political prisoners to ensure a “democratic transition”.
While claiming not to want to get involved in the political affairs of other countries, as the United States did in Iraq or Afghanistan in the 2000s, Donald Trump has clearly expressed his interest in Venezuela's vast oil resources, the world's first proven crude reserves.
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With AFP
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