Saturday, March 29, 2025
Summary:
Donald Trump said, “I believe handling the situation in Venezuela will be very difficult for her. She doesn’t have much support or respect in the country. She’s a very good woman, but she isn’t respected in Venezuela.” Trump’s stance has dealt a major blow to Machado.
Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado dedicated her award to US President Donald Trump, stating he was the true recipient and that she was honoring him with it. The Venezuelan opposition leader was seen as the frontrunner to take charge after America’s seizure of Nicolás Maduro. But she too has received a shock from the Trump administration. Trump has dismissed speculations of handing her the leadership post-Maduro, saying she cannot manage Venezuela’s situation.
When US special forces raided Venezuela’s capital Caracas at midnight and abducted President Nicolás Maduro, everyone assumed María Corina Machado would seize power. But those expectations were quickly shattered. When asked about it, Donald Trump himself rejected the speculations. He stated, “I believe handling the situation in Venezuela will be very difficult for her. She doesn’t have much support or respect in the country. She’s a very good woman, but she isn’t respected much in Venezuela.”
The 58-year-old María Corina Machado has been Nicolás Maduro’s loudest critic for the past two decades. She won the opposition leadership primary in 2023. She wanted to run for president in 2024 but was barred from doing so. Ultimately, she backed 74-year-old retired diplomat Edmundo González. González lost the election, allowing Maduro to secure victory and tighten his grip on power. However, the opposition accused the regime of fraud and vowed to challenge the results.
Machado received the Nobel Prize last October for her efforts to keep democracy alive in Venezuela amid dictatorship. She dedicated the honor to Donald Trump. For years, Machado has openly supported Trump. But now, with a chance to lead Venezuela, Trump has delivered a major blow. Her supporters will undoubtedly see this as a betrayal.
