Trump dismissed Maria Corina Machado’s leadership prospects after Maduro’s capture, raising questions about Venezuela’s political future.
US President Donald Trump has dismissed the idea of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado taking charge of the country, arguing she lacks both support and respect among Venezuelans. His remarks came days after a US military operation on January 3, 2026, removed President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, from Caracas.
Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had been widely promoted by Western media as Maduro’s most credible challenger. Outlets from CNN to Fox News rallied behind her candidacy alongside Edmundo Gonzalez, claiming Maduro had stolen the 2024 election. However, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council insisted the opposition had signaled months before the vote that they would reject the outcome regardless.
Independent US media, including Peoples Forum, Peoples Dispatch and Real News Network, reported that allegations of fraud circulated within hours of polls closing, despite more than 800 international observers present. Their findings contradicted claims of widespread irregularities.
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When asked about Machado’s potential leadership, Trump said: “She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.” His comments followed speculation that her Nobel recognition might have influenced his stance. The Washington Post suggested Trump opposed her because she won the prize he coveted, but in an NBC interview he denied this, insisting she simply lacked domestic backing.
Machado rose to international prominence after the disputed election and subsequent unrest. She continued campaigning abroad, focusing on alleged dictatorship in Venezuela while downplaying the impact of US sanctions and past coup attempts. Last month she traveled to Norway to accept the Nobel award and has not returned since. Speaking to Fox News, she said she planned to go back “as soon as possible.”
Her first interview since the US strikes welcomed Washington’s actions as “a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity.” Yet Trump reiterated his refusal to work with her, stressing her limited support base.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s vice president and oil minister Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president on Monday. The sudden removal of Maduro has left uncertainty over the nation’s leadership, with questions surrounding whether Machado, Gonzalez, or other figures could emerge as viable alternatives.
