Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The United States, on January 3, carried out strikes inside Venezuela as explosions rocked the capital Caracas following months of threats by President Donald Trump against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.
The Venezuelan government said attacks also took place in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, prompting Maduro to declare a national emergency and mobilize defense forces. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the United States had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and flown them out of the country.
Out of all of these incidents, María Corina Machado, who is a Venezuelan opposition leader, and a 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is once again into a global spotlight for emerging as the key political figure to watch after the US said it captured Maduro and flew him out of the country following a large-scale overnight military operation.
In a post on social media, she expressed that the 'hour of liberty' has arrived for Venezuelans and states that Nicolas Maduro is now facing international justice. "It outlines the path forward for the country following the recent events, emphasizing the need for a democratic transition and unity," the post further read.
Previously also, she has shown her strong support for Trump's approach towards Maduro.
She is already known for her relentless fight to restore democracy and uphold human rights in her country.
Machado was recognised for her courage and leadership in uniting Venezuela’s divided opposition and advocating a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. As the founder of the pro-democracy group Supoliticsmate, she has long campaigned for free and fair elections, insisting on “ballots over bullets.”
Despite persecution, imprisonment of allies, and threats to her life, she has continued her work inside Venezuela, becoming a symbol of peaceful resistance.
When her presidential candidacy was blocked in 2024, she backed opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, mobilising citizens to monitor polls despite state intimidation.
Moreover, the Nobel Committee said Machado embodies “the tools of democracy as tools of peace,” inspiring hope for a freer Venezuela.