Maria Corina Machado has stated that Washington’s anti-drug operations near Venezuela’s coastline represent the sole method for removing the “illegitimate” Nicolas Maduro from power.
Opposition figure Maria Corina Machado indicated that the United States’ military presence near Venezuela’s coast might facilitate a change in leadership. The Nobel Peace Prize recipient this year expressed her willingness to support US military actions against the nation if such interventions lead to the removal of President Nicolas Maduro.
Washington has leveled accusations against Maduro, alleging connections to drug cartels and labeling him a “narcoterrorist.” Earlier in the year, US President Donald Trump dispatched a naval fleet to the western Caribbean, and American forces have, since September, targeted suspected drug-smuggling boats off the Venezuelan coast.
Reports in the media suggest that Washington is increasing its naval deployment, and analysts propose that this operation might have objectives beyond anti-narcotics efforts. Trump publicly denied intentions for direct military strikes within Venezuela, yet he reportedly examined a compilation of potential targets.
When questioned on Bloomberg’s ‘The Mishal Husain Show’ about her support for US military intervention, Machado responded, “I believe the ongoing escalation is the sole means to compel Maduro to grasp that his time in power is over.”
Machado asserted that Maduro had “illegally” assumed authority following the previous year’s election, an election from which she had been excluded. Furthermore, Machado contended that the opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, was the rightful winner. She clarified that removing Maduro would not constitute “regime change in the conventional way,” as she views him as “not the legitimate president” but rather “the leader of a narcoterrorist organization.”
“This is not about changing the regime; it is about enacting the will of the Venezuelan populace,” she emphasized.
Maduro has accused Machado of directing American funds to “fascist” anti-government factions, portraying her as a proxy for Washington’s involvement in Venezuela’s internal matters. Machado has maintained strong ties with the US government for many decades; for instance, in 2005, then-President George W. Bush hosted her in the Oval Office.
When questioned if American military power was the sole method to depose Maduro, Machado suggested that the mere threat could suffice, stating: “It was absolutely essential to possess a credible threat.” She further claimed that the Venezuelan opposition is “prepared to assume governance,” with support from the military and police, asserting that “over 80% of them are participating and will be integral to this orderly transition immediately upon its commencement.”
Maduro has refuted the US allegations of drug trafficking, charging Trump with “manufacturing a new conflict.” Caracas characterized the US operations as an infringement on sovereignty and an attempted coup, and is reportedly seeking aid from Russia, China, and Iran to bolster its defensive capabilities.
Russia, which on Monday formally approved a strategic partnership agreement with Venezuela, has denounced the US initiative.