María Corina Machado, Nicolás Maduro capture, Venezuelan opposition reaction, Trump Venezuela operation, Edmundo González transition – these trending topics capture the dramatic response from Venezuela’s leading opposition figure following the U.S. military’s seizure of President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026.
In a powerful letter and subsequent interviews, Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado celebrated the event as a turning point, declaring: “Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived!” She stated that Maduro “from today will face international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations.”
Machado, currently in exile after secretly traveling to Norway in December 2025 to accept her Nobel Prize (which she dedicated to Trump), expressed profound gratitude for the U.S. action. In a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, she called it “a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity,” thanking Trump for his “courageous vision” and “historical actions against this narco-terrorist regime.” She even offered to share or personally hand over her Nobel Prize to him, saying: “Because this is the prize of the Venezuelan people, certainly we want to give it to him and share it with him.”
She urged Venezuela’s military to abandon the regime and recognize her ally, Edmundo González Urrutia – widely seen as the legitimate winner of the disputed 2024 election – as president and commander-in-chief. Machado vowed to return home “as soon as possible” to lead the transition.
However, tensions emerged as President Trump dismissed Machado’s leadership potential, stating she “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” and preferring to work with Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, for stability. Reports cite frustrations with Machado’s refusal to engage in certain diplomatic channels and her hardline stance alienating some stakeholders.
Experts note Machado’s popularity among opposition supporters and diaspora contrasts with challenges in building broad coalitions inside Venezuela. Public reactions split: Celebrations in Venezuelan communities abroad, mixed with uncertainty at home amid fears of instability.
For U.S. readers, this highlights shifting geopolitics – reduced Russian/Chinese influence, potential oil market impacts, and debates over interventionism. Economically, Venezuela’s vast reserves could stabilize global energy if normalized; politically, it tests “America First” in addressing regional threats like narco-trafficking.
As Maduro pleads not guilty in New York to drug charges, the focus shifts to transition: Will opposition demands prevail, or pragmatic deals with regime remnants?
María Corina Machado, Nicolás Maduro capture, Venezuelan opposition reaction, Trump Venezuela operation, Edmundo González transition – Machado’s bold praise and calls for democracy underscore hopes for a new era, even amid U.S. reservations.
By Sam Michael
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