Venezuelan opposition leader Machado praises Trump for Maduro arrest
Jan 07, 2026
Washington [US], January 7: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has praised US President Donald Trump for the arrest of authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro.
"January 3rd will go down in history as the day justice defeated tyranny," Machado told Fox News on Monday. On that day, US forces struck targets in Venezuela, captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and brought them to the United States, where they are now facing court proceedings on alleged drug charges.
Machado had previously praised Trump for his hardline approach toward Venezuela.
"It's a milestone," she said, adding that it was significant not only for the Venezuelan people but "for humanity, for freedom and human dignity," in a video clip of the interview that she shared on X.
In another post, she said Venezuela would become "the main ally of the United States in matters of security, energy, democracy and human rights."
After Maduro's arrest, Machado called for opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to be installed as president. The 76-year-old former diplomat was widely considered by the opposition and international observers to have won the presidential vote in 2024, which was marred by fraud allegations.
He ran only because the more popular Machado had been barred from participating.
Trump recently indicated that Machado would not play a leading role in Venezuela, saying: "It would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country."
Meanwhile, Maduro's loyal deputy Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president. Her government continues to regard Maduro as the legitimate head of state.
Source: Qatar Tribune
