Venezuela's prominent opposition figure, Maria Corina Machado, has declared she is "profoundly confident" that the country will see an orderly transition to free elections, following the dramatic capture of President Nicolas Maduro by United States forces.
A Bold Declaration in Washington
Speaking at the Heritage Foundation in the United States on Friday, 16 January 2026, Machado stated, "Venezuela is going to be free." Her remarks came just a day after she presented her Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump in what he called a "wonderful gesture of mutual respect."
Machado described the Maduro government as a "criminal structure" that had dominated Venezuela for years, predicting it would ultimately dismantle itself. She insisted her movement, widely seen as the legitimate winner of the contested 2024 election, was focused on a peaceful political shift.
Political Maneuvering After Maduro's Capture
The political landscape was upended on 3 January 2026, when US military forces captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife. They were taken to New York to face criminal charges. In the ensuing power vacuum, President Trump has publicly backed the current vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, to lead the nation.
However, Machado was dismissive of Rodriguez's position during her news conference. While claiming her comments were not personal, she labelled Rodriguez a "communist" who controls a "repressive" system but lacks military backing, making her tenure unsustainable. "She is afraid of Mr Trump," Machado added.
Diverging Signals from the White House
The US administration appears to be pursuing a dual-track approach. While Trump hosted and praised Machado, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the president's "realistic" view that Machado does not currently have the support needed to lead Venezuela in the short term.
Concurrently, in a significant diplomatic move, CIA director John Ratcliffe flew to Caracas and met with Vice President Rodriguez on Thursday. This marks the highest-level known US visit since Maduro's toppling.
The situation remains tense on the ground. Venezuela's defence minister confirmed that 47 Venezuelan soldiers were killed in the US strike on Caracas that facilitated Maduro's capture on 3 January.
In a related development, the Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified that despite gifting her medal to Trump, Maria Corina Machado remains the official laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, with no restrictions on what she may do with the award.
