Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, has pledged to return to her home country as soon as possible, even as the socialist regime, reeling from Nicolás Maduro’s capture, has begun cracking down on those who supported President Trump’s operation. While the removal of the brutal dictator marked a step in the right direction for Venezuela’s liberation, the country’s governing apparatus remains deeply entrenched, with little expectation that it will willingly relinquish control.
Although acting president Delcy Rodríguez has signaled a willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration, that posture should not be mistaken for a readiness to allow Venezuelans to believe they may soon have a truly representative government.
In an interview with Sean Hannity, she said it is still not safe for her to return to Venezuela. Early last month, she left the country for Norway to receive her Nobel Peace Prize after nearly a year in hiding.
"Well, first of all, I’m planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible," Machado said. "As I’ve always said, Sean, every day I make a decision where I am more useful for our cause. That’s why I stayed in hiding for over 16 months, and that’s why I decided to go out, because I believed that at this moment I’m more useful to our cause, being able to speak out from where I’m at right now. But I’m going to go as soon possible back home."
However, she added, "What we’re seeing right now in the last 24 hours is really alarming."
Executive orders signed by Maduro on the day of his capture, along with a state of emergency declared Saturday by Rodríguez, ordered a crackdown on those who supported Trump’s actions in the region. At least 14 journalists have been detained so far, as security forces and pro-government groups use intimidation and targeted arrests to suppress any public celebration of Maduro’s removal inside the country.
"So this is very alarming. This is something that has to be followed carefully, I’m sure, by the United States government and by the Venezuelan people," she said. "And certainly we believe that this transition should move forward."
She added that the United States should closely monitor the situation, noting that Venezuela’s acting president and former vice president is just as brutal as Maduro.
"Delcy Rodriguez, as you know, is one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, narco trafficking," Machado said. "She’s the main ally and liaison with Russia, China, Iran, certainly not an individual that international investors could trust. And she’s really rejected, repudiated by the Venezuelan people."
.@MariaCorinaYA - Maduro thought by banning me, he would stop us from winning pic.twitter.com/W85azCwv2o
— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) January 6, 2026
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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