Machado thanks the US for Maduro's capture and says she will return to Venezuela soon
“January 3rd will go down in history as the day justice defeated tyranny.
The statements were made during an interview with host Sean Hannity on Fox News, from an undisclosed location.
Machado asserted that the former president's arrest marks a turning point A turning point for the country and the region. “January 3rd will go down in history as the day justice defeated tyranny. It is a huge milestone for Venezuelans and a great step for humanity, freedom, and dignity,” she stated during the television program. The opposition leader explained that her whereabouts and movements have been determined by security reasons and by the usefulness she can have for the democratic cause. “Every day I decide where I can be most useful. That is why I remained in hiding for more than 16 months and why I decided to come out, because I believed that at this moment I was more useful speaking from where I am,” she noted. A direct thank you to the White House. During the interview, Machado explicitly thanked President Trump for what she described as “courageous actions” against the Venezuelan regime. “The historic actions he has taken against this narco-terrorist regime to begin dismantling this structure and bringing Maduro to justice mean that 30 million Venezuelans are now closer to freedom,” he declared, while also maintaining that the United States is now “a safer country.” Machado also recalled that in October he dedicated the Nobel Peace Prize he received to Trump, considering his decisions to have been key in confronting the Chavista regime. In his remarks, he went further, suggesting that the president should be a co-recipient of the honor.She recounted that she had to leave Venezuela secretly to travel to Oslo to receive the award, although she arrived too late to participate in the official ceremony. “If I believed he deserved it in October, imagine now. He has shown the world what determination means,” she emphasized.
Domestically, the opposition leader harshly criticized Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed the presidency after Maduro's departure, and accused her of being one of the main culprits behind repression, corruption, and drug trafficking in Venezuela.
Looking ahead to a potential transition process, Machado outlined the key elements of the political project promoted by the opposition. She asserted that a free Venezuela would become a strategic ally in regional security, an energy hub for the Americas, and a country with legal guarantees for foreign investment. He also stressed the need to facilitate the return of millions of Venezuelans who emigrated during the years of crisis. Finally, although he stated that his movement could obtain more than 90% of the vote in free elections, Trump has been cautious and has pointed out that Machado does not have enough domestic support, a scenario that adds uncertainty to the complex Venezuelan political landscape.

