Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Machado, has said she plans to return to her country “as soon as possible,” while strongly criticising Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.
Machado made the remarks on Monday in her first public comments since a social media post over the weekend, following the removal of former president Nicolas Maduro from power by the United States military.
Speaking from an undisclosed location during an interview with Fox News broadcaster Sean Hannity, Machado said her return to Venezuela was imminent.
“I’m planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible,” she said.
The opposition leader openly rejected the legitimacy of interim president Delcy Rodriguez, describing her as a central figure in the alleged abuses of the former administration.
“She is one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, narcotrafficking,” Machado said.
Rodriguez, who served as vice president under Maduro, has reportedly signaled her willingness to cooperate with Washington following the political transition in Caracas.
Machado, however, insisted that Rodriguez lacks public support, claiming that the Venezuelan people overwhelmingly stand with the opposition.
“She is rejected by the Venezuelan people,” Machado said, expressing confidence that free elections would overwhelmingly favour the opposition.
“In free and fair elections, we will win by over 90 percent of the votes. I have no doubt about it,” she added.
Outlining her vision for the country, Machado pledged to transform Venezuela’s economy and dismantle criminal networks that, according to her, have devastated the nation.
She vowed to “turn Venezuela into the energy hub of the Americas” and promised to dismantle criminal structures that have undermined governance and security.
Machado also said she would prioritise the return of millions of Venezuelans who were forced to flee the country due to years of political and economic turmoil.
“I will bring millions of Venezuelans that have been forced to flee our country back home,” she said.
