Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has publicly credited President Donald Trump with helping sustain Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement, saying his leadership arrived at a moment when Venezuelans felt abandoned by the international community.
In exclusive comments to Fox News Digital, Machado said Trump’s support gave hope to millions fighting to reclaim freedom from Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian rule.
“I am absolutely grateful to President Trump for every gesture, every signal, and every moment that he has stood with the Venezuelan people,” Machado said. “I watched it very closely, and I know what it meant for those risking everything for democracy.”
‘A free Venezuela is closer than ever’
Machado said she dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to both the Venezuelan people and President Trump, calling the award a symbol of resilience and courage.
“A free and democratic Venezuela is not only possible — it is closer than ever,” she said. “This Nobel Prize represents that fight for freedom and is dedicated to the Venezuelan people and to President Trump for showing what strong leadership looks like when it matters most.”
An official familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Machado hopes to visit the United States and personally meet President Trump to formally honor him for what she views as his decisive support.
Return to public view after months in hiding
Machado’s remarks came shortly after she re-emerged publicly in Oslo, Norway, following 11 months in hiding. During that period, pressure from the Maduro regime intensified after she was briefly detained at an anti-government protest in Caracas.
Her public return coincided with the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, where her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the award on her behalf. Supporters cheered as Machado waved from a hotel balcony — her first public appearance in nearly a year.
Blocked from office despite overwhelming support
Machado was barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, despite winning the opposition primary by an overwhelming margin.
According to Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Machado remains the most popular political figure in Venezuela.
“She secured more than 90% of the opposition primary vote,” Vigil said. “She became a real threat, and that’s why the regime disqualified her.”
Machado later endorsed Edmundo González, who independent tallies widely showed won the election. However, Venezuela’s government-controlled electoral authority declared Maduro the winner and swore him in for another term.
Trump’s pressure campaign praised
Machado said President Trump’s maximum-pressure campaign against the Maduro regime changed the course of Venezuela’s opposition movement.
“President Trump confronted a criminal regime when others looked away,” she said. “He gave strength to millions who refuse to give up on freedom.”
During Trump’s presidency, the United States imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, recognized opposition leadership, and applied sustained diplomatic pressure. The administration also targeted corruption, drug trafficking, and regime-linked criminal networks.
A movement far from over
Machado has vowed to return to Venezuela when conditions allow and continues to push for a peaceful democratic transition.
International human rights organizations have documented widespread abuses under Maduro, including arbitrary detentions, censorship, and extrajudicial killings. More than seven million Venezuelans have fled the country over the past decade.
By linking her Nobel recognition to President Trump, Machado sent a clear message: the fight for Venezuela’s future, in her view, remains inseparable from decisive international leadership.
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