Opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado blamed Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro for the consequences of the US military deployment in the Caribbean—an operation that has already left 80 dead—and stated that it could all have been avoided if Maduro had agreed to relinquish power when it was proposed to him.
In an interview with the Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Machado stated: “Everything we see happening is solely the responsibility of Maduro and his regime,” accusing him of having established “state terrorism” against the Venezuelan population and other countries in the region.
“When we won the elections by an overwhelming majority, we offered Maduro and the regime a negotiated solution, a transition with guarantees. They refused,” the opposition leader recalled, reiterating her support for the pressure the United States is exerting on the Venezuelan regime and its inner circle.
When asked whether she would support a possible US ground intervention, Machado avoided answering directly and simply stated: “It is time for Maduro to understand that he must resign”.
She was also asked how she reconciled her support for US pressure tactics—including bombings that have caused dozens of deaths—with her nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Machado responded that the prize recognizes her “struggle for democracy,” a condition she considers essential for achieving peace: “I fight to bring peace to my country, but we have learned that to have peace, democracy is necessary.”
A week before the award ceremony in Oslo, Machado admitted that her attendance was not guaranteed due to fears of possible actions by the Venezuelan regime. Even so, she declared: “It would be the greatest honor of my life.” The Chavista Attorney General's Office has warned that she could be considered a fugitive if she leaves the country, due to several ongoing investigations. Despite this, she promised that, if she manages to travel, “I want to assure all Venezuelans that I will return.”
Through social media, Machado's team emphasized that the Nobel Peace Prize belongs not only to the leader, but to the entire Venezuelan nation: “For the mothers who wait, for the missing children, for the prisoners who see the sun through bars, for those who left behind promises, for those who fight tirelessly. When they pronounce María Corina's name in Oslo, we will know that the Nobel will be a tribute to an entire people who resisted with courage,” her team stated.
According to Nobel Committee Chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes, in statements reported by NRK, “the journey is dangerous because the Venezuelan regime has said it wants to get rid of her.” Frydnes expressed his hope that security conditions would be guaranteed for the laureate and that she would be able to return to the country to continue her work.
