Background on María Corina Machado and her Relevance
María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has expressed her support for the United States’ seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker. This development comes amidst the ongoing crisis between Washington and Caracas.
US Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking an unprecedented move in the escalating conflict between Washington and Caracas. Venezuela denounced this action as an “international act of piracy.”
- According to the US, the tanker was transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran.
- The vessel had been sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 due to alleged links with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.
María Corina Machado’s Support and Statements
In an interview with CBS, aired on Sunday, Machado voiced her full support for the US strategy and praised President Trump as a “champion of freedom” in the Americas.
- Machado, interviewed in English from Oslo, urged the US and countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe to adopt a “legal approach” that would more effectively block the illicit activities of Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
- She emphasized her desire for increased pressure on Maduro to resign, promising to return to Venezuela “as soon as possible.”
- In pre-released excerpts, Machado expressed her support for heightened pressure on Maduro, stating that at some point, the price of clinging to power by force would become too high, leading to the regime’s collapse and enabling a negotiated transition.
Military Intervention and Maduro’s Legitimacy
When asked if she supported a potential US military intervention to oust Maduro, Machado responded that she would appreciate increased pressure for Maduro to understand that his time had come.
She clarified that she did not know of any possible US plans and stressed that it was not about a conventional regime change, given that elections had already been held in Venezuela.
- Maduro began his third six-year term following presidential elections last year, which the opposition claims were fraudulent.
- Many regional countries, including the United States, consider Maduro’s government illegitimate.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is María Corina Machado’s role? She is a Venezuelan opposition leader and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
- What action did the US take regarding Venezuela? The US seized a Venezuelan oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which Venezuela denounced as an international act of piracy.
- What is Machado’s stance on the US action? She supports the US strategy and urges increased pressure on Nicolás Maduro to resign.
- What is the status of Maduro’s legitimacy? Many countries, including the US, consider Maduro’s government illegitimate due to allegedly fraudulent elections.
