Caracas, Venezuela, 07 January (H.S.): Amid questions over Venezuela's political future, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado stated Wednesday that the United States has honored the 2024 mandate by arresting President Nicolás Maduro and removing him from power.

Thanking U.S. President Donald Trump, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said retired diplomat Edmundo González could be a strong choice to lead the nation.

In a CBS interview from an undisclosed location, Machado noted that the Maduro government barred her from running against him in the 2024 presidential election, prompting González to step in. After allegations of vote-rigging, the U.S. and several governments recognized González as the winner.

Machado affirmed the opposition's readiness to serve the people and expressed her intent to contest if fresh elections are held.She dismissed Maduro ally Delcy Rodríguez, currently acting president, as lacking public trust.Machado addressed Trump's skepticism about her leadership potential—he has called her a good woman but doubted her ability to govern.

In response, she praised Trump's decision to arrest Maduro on drug charges, saying weeks ago ousting him seemed impossible. Trump made it happen—a major step toward restoring democracy in Venezuela, she added.

Machado, a key opposition figure and Vente Venezuela founder, earned global acclaim for her anti-dictatorship activism. She received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless efforts to restore democracy.

Additional honors include the 2024 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize and Sakharov Prize. Her book, The Freedom Manifesto, is set for imminent release.

Following Maduro's removal, Machado announced plans to return soon from her current secure, undisclosed locations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar