Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Declares Maduro‘s Exit Inevitable, Nobel Prize Fuels push for Transition
CARACAS – In her first interview following the declaration of her Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado delivered a stark message to president Nicolás Maduro: his departure from power is inevitable, regardless of whether a negotiated solution is reached. Speaking from hiding – where she has lived for over a year – Machado asserted, “Maduro decides whether to take it or leave it, but he will leave wiht or without negotiation,” according to reporting from El País.
The Nobel Prize, Machado framed as a “basic impulse” arriving at a critical juncture, comes after the opposition tired all non-violent avenues for change. “We have gone to elections, we defeated the regime adn they stole the election,” she stated, referencing past electoral disputes.”We have been in multiple negotiation processes and the regime has broken its word in all of them.”
Despite acknowledging she hadn’t yet seen the award itself, Machado believes the prize validates the opposition’s strategy of civil resistance and positions them “closer to freedom than at this moment” in history.
While emphasizing a desire for a swift and orderly transition with the “lowest possible cost,” Machado made it clear the era of unproductive negotiations is over. Her focus is on justice, not revenge, and she believes the conditions for a transition are present, even within factions of Chavismo, with former supporters now actively advocating for change.
Details regarding red lines for potential negotiations with the ruling party remain reserved, but Machado stressed the process must be conducted with ”absolute rigor and transparency,” prioritizing the well-being of the Venezuelan people and the eventual return of the country’s vast diaspora.
The Nobel announcement has also highlighted international divisions, with Machado noting a “notable silence” from Spanish diplomacy despite widespread congratulations. She also addressed attacks from figures like former Vice President Pablo Iglesias, subtly dismissing them as unexpected praise. Machado stated, “there is no longer possible space for silence or indifference.”
Source: El País – https://elpais.com/america/2025-10-10/maria-corina-machado-maduro-decide-si-lo-toma-o-lo-deja-pero-va-a-salir-con-o-sin-negociacion.html
