Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado has broken her silence following US President Donald Trump’s claim that President Nicolas Maduro has been captured after large-scale American military strikes on Venezuela. Her response, filled with resolve and urgency, has once again placed her at the center of global attention as questions mount over Venezuela’s political future.
In her first public reaction, Machado addressed Venezuelans directly, saying that Maduro must now face international justice for crimes committed against the Venezuelan people as well as citizens of other nations. She said the enforcement of the law by the United States marked the fulfilment of long-standing promises and described the moment as a decisive step in the country’s struggle for freedom.
Calling it a historic opportunity, Machado urged that national sovereignty and the will of the people should now guide Venezuela forward. She stressed the need to immediately release political prisoners, rebuild institutions, and create conditions for families especially children forced to leave the country to return home safely.
Machado reaffirmed her backing for Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela’s constitutional president, describing him as the legitimate commander-in-chief recognised by the armed forces. She appealed to citizens inside the country to remain alert, organised, and actively involved to ensure a peaceful and democratic transition of power.
To Venezuelans living abroad, she called for mobilisation and support in rebuilding the nation. Ending her message on an emotional note, Machado expressed faith, encouragement, and determination, saying Venezuela would ultimately be free, guided by courage and belief until the very end.
Currently in Oslo after nobel ceremony
Machado is believed to be in Oslo, Norway, where she travelled last month to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This marked her first public appearance after spending more than a year in hiding inside Venezuela due to threats from the Maduro regime.
Her departure from the country was reportedly carried out through a covert rescue mission. According to Bryan Stern, a US special forces veteran and founder of the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, the operation codenamed Operation Golden Dynamite involved disguises, dangerous sea crossings, and a high-risk escape under cover of darkness.
“The conditions were extreme rough seas, pitch black surroundings, constant risk,” Stern told the BBC, adding that Machado remained calm and resilient throughout. She reached Oslo safely just before midnight to attend the Nobel ceremony.
Close alignment with Trump’s hard-line policy
Machado has previously made her support for Donald Trump’s tough stance against the Maduro government clear. In interviews, she has openly backed US military pressure and described Trump as a defender of freedom in the region. Following her Nobel win, she again urged Washington to take decisive action against what she calls Communist rule in Venezuela.
