Venezuelan opposition leader and newly crowned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado has issued a forceful appeal for intensified international pressure against the administration of President Nicolas Maduro. In a preview of her upcoming interview with CBS News’ ‘Face the Nation,’ Machado emphasized the necessity of compelling Maduro to relinquish power, asserting that his time has conclusively ended.
The political figure, who recently executed a daring escape from Venezuela under circumstances resembling an espionage thriller, addressed questions regarding potential U.S. military involvement. While acknowledging no specific knowledge of American plans, Machado clarified that Maduro’s removal would not constitute conventional regime change. ‘We conducted an election where over 70 percent of the population mandated political transition,’ she explained. ‘Our requirement is support to implement that democratic decision.’
Machado’s reference concerns the 2023 presidential election where Maduro secured a controversial third term amid widespread opposition claims of electoral manipulation. The government subsequently prohibited Machado from political participation, forcing her into hiding before her extraordinary extraction from Caracas.
Codenamed ‘Golden Dynamite’ in homage to Alfred Nobel, the operation involved Machado disguising herself with a wig and navigating through ten military checkpoints undetected. Her journey from a northern Venezuelan beach involved a deliberately dilapidated fishing vessel that subsequently malfunctioned, causing significant delays. According to multiple media investigations, treacherous maritime conditions further complicated the escape, resulting in GPS equipment loss and two hours of directional uncertainty that created genuine mortal peril.
Despite these harrowing circumstances, Machado successfully rendezvoused with U.S. Army veteran Bryan Stern on open waters before ultimately reaching Oslo via private jet from Curaçao. The opposition leader declined to elaborate on escape specifics during her interview but emphasized the Nobel Prize’s symbolic importance as recognition of Venezuela’s courageous resistance against what she termed ‘a criminal, narcoterrorist structure.’
Machado concluded with a commitment to return the honor to the Venezuelan people promptly. The Trump administration’s continued pressure campaign against Maduro has included substantial naval deployments and airstrikes against alleged drug-trafficking operations, resulting in nearly 90 fatalities. The complete interview will air Sunday on CBS.