Trump: ‘We’re looking at’ Machado to lead Venezuela

• María Corina Machado has emerged as a possible leader for a post-Maduro transition in Venezuela as President Donald Trump signals the U.S. is considering backing her.

In a dramatic political development following the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the name of prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado has emerged as a potential figure to lead a transitional phase in the country.

The shift gained momentum after  U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration is considering backing Machado to take over Venezuela’s leadership.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump was asked whether he would support Machado,who is currently in Norway, to lead Venezuela. He responded: “We’re going to have to look at it right now.”

Trump added: “They [Venezuela] have a vice president, as you know. I don’t know what kind of an election that was, but, you know, the election of Maduro was a disgrace.”

The U.S. president described Maduro’s capture as a turning point, saying it “sends a signal we’re not going to be pushed around anymore.” He also linked developments in Venezuela to broader U.S. security concerns, alleging that the United States is losing hundreds of thousands of people each year to drugs, and stressing: “We’re not going to allow it anymore with this.”

Machado and her Political Struggle

Machado, 58, an industrial engineer and veteran political activist, is widely regarded as one of the fiercest opponents of the socialist system established by Hugo Chávez and later entrenched by Nicolás Maduro. She earned the nickname “the Iron Lady” for refusing to leave Venezuela despite years of legal persecution, security threats, and political intimidation.

Her public activism dates back to 1992, when she founded a civic organization aimed at supporting vulnerable communities and promoting democratic participation. In 2010, she entered the National Assembly, quickly becoming a symbol of an uncompromising opposition that rejected negotiations with what it described as an authoritarian regime. For years, she was barred from running for office, a move condemned by international observers.

Washington’s Support and Shared Economic Vision

Trump’s openness to supporting Machado reflects a convergence of political and economic views. Machado advocates a market-oriented agenda centered on privatization and free enterprise, policies that align closely with Washington’s long-standing calls to restructure Venezuela’s oil sector and reverse decades of state control.

U.S. officials have repeatedly pointed to Machado’s strong domestic backing. She previously won more than 90 percent of the vote in opposition primary elections, reinforcing her position as a central figure in any future political transition.

Nobel Recognition and a Symbolic Dedication

In October, Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her non-violent struggle for democratic change in Venezuela, a country widely described by rights groups as having slid into authoritarianism.

In a notable gesture, she dedicated the prize to “the suffering people of Venezuela” and to Donald Trump, citing what she described as his firm support for their cause. She declared that Venezuela now stands “on the threshold of victory and freedom.”

Standing Firm in the Face of Repression

Despite repeated threats, gunfire incidents, and periods of hiding, Machado has refused to leave Venezuela, unlike millions who fled amid the country’s humanitarian crisis. Her resilience also earned her the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament, which praised her “exceptional civic courage.”

That determination was again evident during the 2024 elections, when Machado backed opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia after being arbitrarily barred from running herself. The move reinforced her long-stated belief in “ballots over bullets” and the restoration of the rule of law.

As Venezuela enters a volatile and uncertain chapter, María Corina Machado stands at the center of both domestic hopes and international calculations, an opposition figure whose next steps could decisively shape the country’s political future.