Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado declared on Friday that her groundbreaking Nobel Peace Prize is not only a triumph for her struggling nation but also an homage to President Donald Trump, whose strategies have allegedly “revived democracy and freedom across the Americas.”
“This award is dedicated to the Venezuelan populace and President Trump because it reflects the truth,” Machado expressed in an exclusive interview with The Post. “We, the people of Venezuela, hold deep appreciation for President Trump’s unwavering support for democracy and our freedoms in the Americas.”
Machado spearheaded a grassroots movement that triumphed over Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a decisive manner during the country’s 2024 elections, although the tyrant illegitimately proclaimed victory and continues to control the country by force.
Speaking from a confidential location within Venezuela, Machado — who has remained in hiding since the election was compromised — stated that Trump’s “courage and clarity” have played key roles in isolating and diminishing what she described as Maduro’s “narco-terrorist criminal regime” controlling her homeland.
Since assuming office, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro by deploying naval forces to target the dictator’s drug transporters in South America, eliminating Biden-era waivers that permitted funds from oil sales to flow to the regime, and increasing the bounty for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million—the highest in U.S. history.
“From the start, President Trump recognized this was not just a typical dictatorship,” she noted. “He acknowledged it for what it truly is — a criminal enterprise linked to drug cartels, terrorist factions, and foreign powers that pose threats to both the Venezuelan populace and U.S. security.”
Machado depicted a stark reality under Maduro’s rule: schools functioning just two days per week, hospitals devoid of essential medications, pensions valued at less than a dollar a month, and nearly 90% of citizens living in impoverished conditions.
“This regime has obliterated everything,” she stated. “They resort to torture, execution, and imprisoning family members over simply expressing concerns about inflation online.”
Despite the oppressive environment, Machado insisted that Venezuelans are now more unified than ever, ready to return from their migrations abroad if Maduro is ousted.
“We are enduring a profound battle — between good and evil,” she remarked. “Ninety percent of our people, including military personnel, share the same aspiration: freedom, dignity, and to bring our children back.”
Machado expressed hope that her newly acquired recognition sheds light on Venezuela’s dire circumstances and fosters stronger international support to apply pressure on the regime, with the Trump administration already taking a leading role.
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“I was eager to express my gratitude directly to him,” Machado said, confirming her conversation with Trump earlier in the day. “He’s committed to dismantling the narco-terrorist apparatus that has wrought destruction upon both our nations.”
Machado attributed Trump’s efforts to combating the criminal syndicates sustaining Maduro’s regime, ranging from drug trafficking to gold smuggling and oil market manipulation.
“For years, we implored the global community to regard this as a law enforcement challenge,” she emphasized. “President Trump was the first to respond. He identified them for what they are—narco-terrorist groups—and utilized the entire force of the law to disrupt their financial networks.”
She noted that these strategies, coupled with U.S. naval operations and energy sanctions, have rendered Maduro “weaker than ever.”
“Even within the regime, divisions and betrayals are surfacing,” she commented. “They are aware that their time is up.”
Machado foresees that the downfall of Maduro will trigger a ripple effect throughout Latin America, creating unique opportunities for genuine democracy to flourish.
“Once Maduro is gone, the government in Cuba will crumble, followed closely by Nicaragua’s regime,” she forecasted. “For the first time ever, we could witness the Americas liberated from communism, dictatorship, and narco-terrorism. That will be President Trump’s enduring legacy.”
She expressed that she hopes her Nobel Prize symbolizes an impending wave of genuine and enduring change for her homeland.
“This award belongs to the Venezuelan people but also acknowledges the vision of a leader who realized that our freedom is interlinked with the freedom of the entire continent,” she noted.
“President Trump instilled hope in us. And now, at long last, we are transforming that hope into historical change.”
Trump stands a solid chance of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize next year, having garnered multiple nominations for the 2026 award due to his endeavors to resolve global conflicts this year.
The nomination deadline for the 2025 prize was January 31 — just days after Trump took office.
