Venezuelan Opposition Leader Says Next Steps Have To Address ‘The Cartel And Justice’

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado expressed optimism in Washington, D.C., on Friday following her meetings with President Donald Trump and lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week.

“We are definitely now into the first steps of a true transition to democracy that will have not only immense impact in the lives of Venezuelans,” she said at a press conference at The Heritage Foundation. Machado said she was “impressed” by how much the president knew about the situation in Venezuela, saying the president “understands the moment” and the “implication for the whole hemisphere.”

“It took a lot of courage to do what he did,” she said regarding the Jan. 3 military operation that resulted in the capture and arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Machado, who won the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, gifted Trump her Nobel medal as the two discussed the next steps for the South American nation.

Shortly after Maduro was brought to the U.S. to face federal narcoterrorism charges, Trump said that Machado did not have the “respect” of the country to be its leader. Prior to Maduro’s arrest, The Daily Wire asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the relationship between the U.S. and Machado, with Rubio noting that it had been a while since he and the opposition leader had spoken, saying she “was in hiding.”

Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is now the acting president of the country, albeit with staunch oversight from the United States.

After their Thursday meeting, Trump posted to Truth Social that “It was [his] Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today. She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented [him] with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”

However, when asked about the leftist acting president, Machado said, “This has nothing to do with tension or decision between Delcy Rodriguez or myself … This is about the cartel and justice. This is about a criminal regime, and the mandate of the Venezuelan people.”

Trump has adopted more of a conciliatory tone toward Rodriguez, saying that they spoke earlier this week and that “she’s a terrific person,” according to Politico.

“This morning I had a very good call with the Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez. We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover,” the president said in a Wednesday post to Truth Social. “Many topics were discussed, including Oil, Minerals, Trade and, of course, National Security. This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!”

Although it’s still very early in the process of navigating Venezuela’s future, Machado explained that she thinks that the “regime is forced to dismantle themselves” and that there are major steps needed to truly become a democratic nation once again, including the closure of “torture centers,” the liberation of political prisoners, and “guarantees for journalists to speak out.”

“There is a criminal structure of terror … not only of the civilian population but also in the military,” she said. When it comes to having fair elections in Venezuela, she stressed that it’s important for Venezuelans still in the country and around the globe to believe democracy is on the horizon, and she believes people will be willing to return to the country if that is the case.

Maduro remained in power following the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election, with international concerns that it was not conducted fairly. Maduro was up against Edmundo Gonzalez, a political ally of Machado.

In the press conference Friday, she stressed the importance of voting rights for Venezuelans. When it comes to her own political ambitions, she told “Fox & Friends” in an interview that aired Friday morning that she is confident she will lead the South American nation one day.

“I believe I will be elected, when the right time comes, as president of Venezuela,” she told the outlet.