CARACAS / NEW YORK – Following the dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado has announced her intention to return to her home country. From an undisclosed location, Machado characterized the removal of the Maduro regime as a “victory for humanity” and demanded an immediate transition to democratic rule.
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The political landscape of Venezuela was upended on January 3, 2026, during “Operation Absolute Resolve.” Following the U.S.-led raid, the following shifts occurred:
- Legal Proceedings: Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are currently in U.S. custody in New York, facing federal charges of narco-terrorism. Both entered “not guilty” pleas on January 5.
- The Interim Government: Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has assumed interim control in Caracas. While Machado views her as a continuation of the previous regime’s “machinery of torture,” international pragmatism has seen the U.S. administration engaging with Rodríguez to prevent total state collapse.
- Machado’s Mandate: Citing the disputed 2024 elections and her overwhelming popular support, Machado is calling for a “clean” electoral process within 30 days to formalize a new government.
Friction with Washington
Despite the shared goal of removing Maduro, a strategic divide has emerged between Machado’s movement and the Trump administration regarding the “day after” strategy:
| Key Conflict | Machado’s Vision | U.S. Administration Stance |
| Timeline | Immediate elections to restore sovereignty. | Extended “stabilization period” before any vote. |
| Economic Control | Venezuelan-led privatization and energy growth. | U.S. oversight of oil infrastructure to ensure stability. |
| Leadership | Asserts her role as the legitimate leader. | Questions her ability to unite various military factions. |
Risks and Next Steps
Machado faces a complex path home. Although Maduro is gone, the Caracas legal system remains largely populated by regime loyalists who still hold active arrest warrants against her. Furthermore, she continues to recover from injuries sustained during her clandestine escape from Venezuela in late 2025.
Machado remains defiant, stating, “The era of the dictator is over; the era of the citizen begins.”
