Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has praised U.S. President Donald Trump for removing Nicolás Maduro from power. She said Venezuelans are “very grateful” to Trump and called for a swift transition to democracy.
Machado spoke exclusively to CBS Evening News on Tuesday, just three days after U.S. forces executed a daring mission to capture Maduro, ending his nearly 13-year rule. She aligned herself with Trump in recent months, supporting his administration’s pressure on Maduro’s regime and dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to him.
When Trump ordered last weekend’s operation to remove Maduro from Caracas and fly him to New York on drug charges, Machado celebrated the action. She said the arrest was a “major step towards restoring prosperity and rule of law and democracy in Venezuela.”
Machado has urged her ally Edmundo González, whom the U.S. recognizes as the winner of Venezuela’s 2024 election, to take control of the country immediately. Maduro’s operatives still hold key positions, and Machado stressed the urgency of replacing them to stabilize the nation.
Trump, however, has not endorsed Machado directly. He said it would be “very tough” for her to govern Venezuela and doubted her level of domestic support. “She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump said in a public statement over the weekend.
When asked why she thinks Trump made that comment, Machado suggested concerns about the country’s stability. She told CBS that Venezuela “has been taken over by a criminal narcoterrorist system” supported by guerrilla groups and allies such as Iran and Cuba. “There is fear that these groups will resist a peaceful transition,” she said.
Despite these challenges, Machado believes the Venezuelan military and police largely support an orderly move toward democracy. “I believe we have a united country,” she said, emphasizing that most citizens want change and stability.
Machado also defended her coalition’s mandate to lead. She pointed to the 2024 election, where González ran against Maduro because the government banned her, despite her winning the opposition primary. Maduro’s government declared González the winner, but the results were widely rejected internationally and seen as marred by fraud.
“The people of Venezuela have already chosen,” Machado said. “Our coalition is ready and willing to serve our people, as we have been mandated.” She stressed that the interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, was a key figure in Maduro’s corruption and had linked Venezuela to Russia and Iran.
Machado told CBS that Venezuelans hope Trump and the U.S. will trust their citizens. She said the country has made significant progress despite past election fraud. “Imagine if there had been free and fair elections,” she said.
Looking ahead, Machado predicted Venezuela could become a security ally of the U.S. and a country of economic prosperity. Millions of Venezuelans who fled due to economic and political hardship could return home. She also supports U.S. oil companies returning to Venezuela, in line with Trump’s recent initiatives.
She warned that any remaining elements of Maduro’s government and violent groups in the country will be neutralized. “I dare to say there is no other society in this hemisphere as cohesive and united as Venezuelan society,” she said. “More than 90% of our population wants the same. We want to live with respect, dignity, justice, and opportunities.”
Machado’s comments highlight her coalition’s vision for Venezuela’s post-Maduro future. While Trump has expressed doubts about her personal leadership, Machado believes her coalition and the Venezuelan people are prepared to guide the country toward democratic reform and renewed prosperity.
