Machado Vows Swift Return to Venezuela, Calls for Free Elections

Caracas/Washington, Jan 6, 2026 — Venezuela’s leading opposition figure María Corina Machado has vowed to return to the country “as soon as possible” and called for free and fair elections, declaring that her movement is fully prepared to defeat the remnants of Nicolás Maduro’s rule.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, the 58-year-old opposition leader praised U.S. President Donald Trump for what she described as the “historic defeat of tyranny” following the arrest of Maduro in a U.S.-led operation. Machado said a democratic transition was now inevitable if credible elections were held.
“We are ready to win overwhelmingly in a free election,” Machado said, claiming her bloc would secure more than 90 percent of the vote under fair conditions. She alleged that despite widespread fraud, the opposition had already won Venezuela’s 2024 election by a large margin.
Machado, a former lawmaker and lawyer, fled Venezuela in disguise last October amid threats of arrest. After being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize later that month, she dedicated the honor to Trump, though she confirmed she has not spoken directly with him since the announcement.
However, Trump has publicly expressed skepticism about holding elections in the near term. In an interview with NBC, the U.S. president said Venezuela must be “fixed first,” arguing that the population is currently in no condition to vote and dismissing even a 30-day electoral timeline as unrealistic.
Machado’s remarks marked her first public interview since Maduro was taken into custody. For security reasons, she declined to reveal her current location. Arrest warrants against her remain active, and key state institutions in Venezuela are still controlled by loyalists of Maduro’s Socialist Party.
While Machado has sought U.S. backing, Washington has so far signaled a preference for working with interim President Delcy Rodríguez. Machado sharply criticized Rodríguez, calling her an “architect of repression, corruption, and drug trafficking.”
Machado said that once democracy is restored, Venezuela — home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves — would become a major energy hub for the United States.
Meanwhile, Maduro, 63, appeared in a federal court in New York on Monday wearing an orange-and-brown prison uniform. He pleaded not guilty to charges including narcotics trafficking and terrorism, declaring, “I am an honorable man, and I am still Venezuela’s president.” His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty. The next hearing is scheduled for March 17.
Tensions remain high in Caracas. At least 14 journalists were temporarily detained on Monday, and gunfire was heard overnight, which authorities said was aimed at intercepting unauthorized drones.
Russia, China, and several other countries have condemned the U.S. operation as a violation of sovereignty. Trump, however, has insisted that Venezuela is now under U.S. control and that private companies will help revive the country’s oil industry.