'Prepared To Take Power': Venezuelan Opposition Leader’s First Reaction On Maduro’s Capture

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is once again in the global spotlight after US President Donald Trump said that President Nicolas Maduro has been “captured” following large-scale American strikes on Venezuela.

Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has become the most recognised face of the Venezuelan opposition in recent years. Her name has drawn fresh attention as questions grow about her location and her possible role in Venezuela’s future.

Following Maduro’s capture, Maria Corina Machado has publicly reacted.

Addressing the Venezuelans following Nicolas Maduro’s removal, she says Maduro now faces international justice for crimes against Venezuelans and citizens of other nations. The US has enforced the law, fulfilling

its promise.

She calls this the moment for national and popular sovereignty to guide the country, urging action to free political prisoners, build a better future, and bring children home safely. She reminds citizens of their struggle for democracy and supports the constitutional presidency of Edmundo González Urrutia, recognised as Commander-in-Chief by the military.

“The time has come for Popular Sovereignty and National Sovereignty to rule in our country. We are going to restore order, release political prisoners, build a peaceful future and bring our children back home. We have fought for years, we have given everything, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening,” she said in her post on X.

Machado urges Venezuelans inside the country to be ready, active, and organised to ensure a democratic transition, and asks those abroad to mobilise and support the rebuilding of Venezuela. She closes with encouragement, trust, and love, declaring that Venezuela will be free, with God’s guidance until the end.

Venezolanos, llegó la hora de la libertad.pic.twitter.com/ehy20V1xm9

— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) January 3, 2026 " rel="nofollow">http://

Venezolanos, llegó la hora de la libertad. pic.twitter.com/ehy20V1xm9

— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) January 3, 2026

Where is Maria Corina Machado?

Maria Corina Machado is most likely in Oslo, Norway. She travelled there last month to collect her Nobel Peace Prize. This was her first public appearance after spending more than a year in hiding inside Venezuela.

Her exit from the country was carried out through a secret rescue operation. According to a man who says he led the mission, the journey involved disguises, two boat trips across rough seas and a flight out of the region.

Machado’s escape from Venezuela

Bryan Stern, a US special forces veteran and founder of the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, told the BBC that the operation was called Operation Golden Dynamite. He described the journey as cold, wet and exhausting.

“The seas are very rough. It’s pitch black. We’re using flashlights to communicate. This is very scary; lots of things can go wrong,” Stern said.

Despite the danger, he said Machado never complained. He described her as “formidable” throughout the operation. She arrived safely in Oslo just before midnight on December 10 to attend the Nobel ceremony.

Machado’s support for Trump

However, she has made her views clear in the past. Machado has openly supported Trump’s hard-line approach towards the Maduro government. She has also called for military intervention to bring an end to Communist rule in Venezuela.

In an interview with CBS News in December, Machado said she was “absolutely” supportive of Trump’s strategy.

“We, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and to his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere,” she said.

Her remarks came during a period of increased US military presence in the Caribbean, strikes on suspected drug boats and a blockade on tankers carrying Venezuelan oil. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, she again urged Trump to intervene in her country.

Despite Maduro’s reported capture, experts say Machado’s rise to power is far from certain.

R Viswanathan, a retired Indian diplomat who served as India’s Ambassador to Venezuela from 2000 to 2003, told The Week magazine that Maduro is not acting alone.

“He is a puppet being handled by a bigger group,” Viswanathan said.

He added that even Maduro’s death would not guarantee Machado leadership of the country. “Caracas’ powerful men will fight to the death before letting a pro-US government take charge,” he said.