Maria Corina Machado on Venezuela transition: Maduro regime criticized

Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of Venezuela’s opposition, said the fall of Nicolás Maduro’s regime is inevitable. She told CBS News that US pressure, including military action and sanctions, has forced regime members to realize change is coming. Machado said her party is not in contact with interim President Delcy Rodriguez, and that the government has a history of refusing negotiations, so they are not communicating with them. She added that Venezuelans are starting to see that a political transition cannot be stopped.

After Maduro was captured, Delcy Rodriguez became the interim president. The Trump administration has worked with her government to push reforms, especially by using restrictions on oil exports. However, the US has not formally recognized Rodriguez’s government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no new military action is planned. US forces remain only to protect embassy staff in Caracas. Machado said the interim government’s moves, like easing control over the oil sector, are driven by US instructions. She called the changes “positive signs” but stressed they are not legally binding without free elections.

Rodriguez’s government has also promised amnesty for political prisoners. Machado said these steps are a test of how the interim authorities will handle human rights. She noted that Venezuela needs legal reforms and guarantees to attract foreign and local investment. While in exile, Machado has met with business and energy leaders. She said a clear timeline for a full democratic transition is essential to encourage refugees to return safely. Machado said dismantling Maduro’s regime is complicated, describing it as a criminal network with links to Cuba, Iran, and China.

Machado reaffirmed that she wants to become president but only through elections. She was banned from running against Maduro in 2024 but helped her party win the vote. After spending 16 months in hiding, she fled Venezuela and later received the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.