Venezuela’s next leader remains an open question as the country enters its post-Maduro era. The opposition figure many expected to step forward is no longer seen as the obvious choice. María Corina Machado has spent years as the international face of Venezuela’s democratic movement. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2025 and openly backed […]
Menej ako 1 min. min.
Venezuela’s next leader remains an open question as the country enters its post-Maduro era. The opposition figure many expected to step forward is no longer seen as the obvious choice.
María Corina Machado has spent years as the international face of Venezuela’s democratic movement. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2025 and openly backed U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro. But as power begins to settle inside Venezuela, Washington is signaling hesitation, and Machado appears to be on the sidelines.
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Washington withholds an endorsement
On Saturday, President Donald Trump cast doubt on Machado’s ability to lead, saying she lacks the support and respect needed to govern. He said he has not spoken with her and gave no indication that the U.S. plans to involve her in a political transition.
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” Trump told reporters. “She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect to be the leader.”
The comment undercut months of assumptions that Machado, long viewed as the opposition’s most recognizable figure, would naturally emerge after Maduro was removed and taken to the United States to face federal charges.
Reporting from The Washington Post suggests Trump’s reluctance to back Machado may stem from something far less ideological.
According to two people close to the White House, the president was privately frustrated by Machado’s decision to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, an award Trump has openly coveted. One person described her acceptance as an “ultimate sin,” saying it cooled any interest in elevating her role, despite her later efforts to dedicate the prize to Trump.
Power flows through the military
Trump’s language points to a deeper reality in Venezuela: leadership is less about popularity than control.
According to The Times UK, the armed forces remain the central power broker, and some senior commanders are believed to favor Delcy Rodríguez, now serving as interim leader, over Machado. That dynamic appears to be shaping how Washington views the transition.
Over the weekend, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López reinforced that balance, publicly recognizing Rodríguez as acting president and ordering the military to unify behind her. He described the U.S. operation that captured Maduro as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and vowed continued resistance.
Machado speaks, but from a distance
Since Maduro’s removal, Machado has stayed largely out of public view. Her current location is unclear after a secret journey out of Venezuela in December 2025 to attend the Nobel ceremony in Norway, followed by medical treatment for injuries sustained during the trip.
Rather than holding public events, Machado issued an open letter to Venezuelans, celebrating what she called a “time of freedom” and praising the United States for enforcing the law against Maduro.
In the letter, she urged the military to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González as Venezuela’s rightful president and commander-in-chief. She called on Venezuelans inside the country to prepare for next steps and asked the diaspora to rally international support for rebuilding the nation.
Another voice steps forward
That call didn’t linger unanswered.
Edmundo González, the former diplomat widely seen as the rightful winner of Venezuela’s 2024 election, released a video Sunday calling for the release of political prisoners and referring to himself as the country’s commander in chief.
As The New York Times reports, González ran as Machado’s proxy after she was barred from the race. Exit polls and vote tallies published by his supporters showed him winning decisively. Maduro declared victory anyway. A crackdown followed, forcing González into exile in Spain.
In the video, González said Maduro’s removal was an important step, but not enough. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of civilians and members of the military detained for opposing the government.
“As president of Venezuelans,” he said, “I make a calm and clear call to the armed forces.” He urged loyalty to the constitution and the people.
His statement came as Venezuela’s Supreme Court moved to install Rodríguez as acting president.
A symbol, not the successor
Machado remains the most internationally recognized opposition figure Venezuela has. She is admired by many Venezuelans abroad and has been one of the most vocal supporters of sustained U.S. pressure on the Maduro government.
But as Trump’s comments on Saturday reflect, recognition is not the same as authority.
As Venezuela moves into an uncertain transition, Machado is still the face of the opposition, but not the figure Washington appears ready to empower. And for now, the question of who truly leads Venezuela remains unanswered.
