María Corina Machado, the leading opposition figure in Venezuela, expressed her opinion in an interview with EFE about the "unequivocal signs" she has perceived regarding the country's direction following Donald Trump's electoral victory in the United States, who is a strong opponent of Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela. Machado, who accuses Maduro of fraud in the presidential elections, mentioned that her team has established communication with the new Republican Administration that will take office on January 20.
The former deputy emphasized the importance of achieving a democratic transition in Venezuela for Maduro to leave power, and highlighted the commitment made by her and the Venezuelans to liberate countries such as Cuba and Nicaragua. She stressed that the transition to democracy is essential to transform Venezuela into an energy hub in the Americas, in contrast to its current reputation as a center of organized crime in the region.
Machado also addressed the issue of the Venezuelan migration crisis and pointed out the need to address the causes of this migration, which implies a political change in the country. Despite the expectation of a change of government in Venezuela in January 2025, the opposition leader underscored the importance of maintaining fluid conversations with the current U.S. Administration.
The Venezuelan opposition led by Machado questioned the legitimacy of the elections in Venezuela, which are not recognized by several countries, and assured that her backed candidate won the presidency by a wide margin. Although during Trump's term sanctions were imposed on Maduro's government, the latter expressed his willingness to improve relations with the new U.S. government after Trump's victory; however, he has not yet received a public response regarding this.
María Corina Machado highlighted that the appointments made by Donald Trump so far reveal what his priorities are in international politics and security. She considered that the confirmation of Marco Rubio as the new Secretary of State sends a strong signal to Latin America, as Rubio understands the threats posed by regimes like those of Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela in the hemisphere, according to the opposition leader.
