Undisclosed Location — Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado announced plans to return to Venezuela "as soon as possible" in her first televised interview since the U.S. military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026. Speaking on Fox News with Sean Hannity on January 5, Machado, 58, lavished praise on President Donald Trump for the raid that ousted Maduro, calling January 3 "the day justice defeated a tyranny" and describing the action as "a huge step toward a democratic transition."
"I'm planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible," Machado said from an undisclosed location, where she has remained since secretly leaving the country in late 2025 to attend the Nobel ceremony in Oslo, Norway. She dedicated the prize—awarded for her nonviolent struggle for democracy—to Trump upon announcement in October 2025, and reiterated her gratitude, offering to share it with him personally. "On behalf of the Venezuelan people, we are grateful for his courageous vision and the historic actions he has taken against this narco-terrorist regime," she stated.
Machado expressed confidence in her movement's electoral strength, asserting that the opposition won the 2024 presidential election "by a landslide" despite alleged fraud, and predicted over 90% support in free and fair elections. "We believe this transition should move forward," she told Hannity. "In free and fair elections, we will win over 90% of the votes." Her proxy candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, is widely recognized internationally as the legitimate winner of the 2024 vote, though Maduro claimed victory and remained in power until the U.S. intervention.
The interview highlighted tensions with the Trump administration's approach to the post-Maduro transition. Machado has not spoken to Trump since October 2025, when the Nobel was announced. Trump has publicly dismissed her as a potential leader, stating she lacks the "support or respect within the country" to govern and emphasizing the need to "fix the country first" before elections. "We have to fix the country first. There’s no way the people could even vote," Trump said in recent remarks, rejecting calls for quick polls.
Instead, the U.S. appears to be engaging with interim President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, who was sworn in on January 5 following a Supreme Court ruling mandating her assumption of duties due to Maduro's "forced absence." Machado sharply criticized Rodríguez, calling her "one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, and narco-trafficking" and a key ally of Russia, China, and Iran. "She is rejected by the Venezuelan people and cannot be trusted by international investors," Machado said, warning against legitimizing remaining socialist officials.
Machado's comments come amid a fragile calm in Venezuela following the dramatic U.S.-led "Operation Absolute Resolve," which involved strikes on military targets and the seizure of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas residence. Maduro pleaded not guilty in a New York court on January 5 to charges including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. The operation has drawn international condemnation from allies like China and Cuba, while dividing U.S. partners at the UN.
In Venezuela, Rodríguez has maintained defiance toward the U.S. raid—labeling it a "kidnapping"—while signaling potential cooperation. Trump has praised possible collaboration but conditioned it on alignment with U.S. interests, including oil sector access. Machado advocated for turning Venezuela into an "energy hub for the Americas," reinstating rule of law for foreign investment, and repatriating millions of emigrants.
The opposition, galvanized by Machado's leadership despite her barring from the 2024 ballot and periods in hiding, faces uncertainty as Trump sidelines her in favor of pragmatic dealings with regime holdovers. Analysts note Machado's broad domestic support—evidenced by massive 2023 primary turnout and 2024 vote tallies published by the opposition—contrasts with Trump's skepticism. Her advisers insist legitimacy rests with the opposition's 2024 mandate.
As Venezuela grapples with economic ruin, institutional control by Chavismo loyalists, and U.S. influence, Machado's vowed return signals ongoing resistance. "January 3rd will go down in history as the day justice defeated a tyranny," she reiterated, framing the crisis as an opportunity for democratic renewal despite the administration's reluctance to back her directly.
