The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, recent winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, stated that her recognition “is not only for Venezuela, but for all of Latin America,” and dedicated the award to the Cuban people, whom she referred to as “brothers in cause” in their struggle against the region's dictatorships.
In an exclusive interview with Martí Noticias, conducted from the underground in Venezuela, Machado stated that the recognition comes at a "decisive" moment in the country's history.
“We are now in a resolving phase, in the final stage, after 26 years of tyranny. We have faced a ferocious dictatorship, with thousands killed, imprisoned, and disappeared. But today, freedom is closer than ever,” he emphasized.
The leader thanked the support of the Cuban people both on and off the Island. “I have always said: it is the same struggle. As soon as we liberate Venezuela, we will continue for the freedom of Cuba and Nicaragua. This Nobel Prize is not just for Venezuelans, it is also for Cubans,” affirmed Machado.
The opposition leader, pursued and disqualified for years by the Nicolás Maduro regime, stated that the recognition from the Nobel Committee “sends a powerful message to the world: Latin America is today a priority in the defense of democracy and human rights.”
Machado also reacted to the recent announcement by President Donald Trump, who confirmed that the CIA is authorized to operate in Venezuelan territory.
The Venezuelan people deeply appreciate the steadfast position of the Trump administration. We have warned for years that in Venezuela there is not just a dictatorship, but a criminal and narco-terrorist system that has surrendered our territory and resources to the enemies of the West, he stated.
According to Machado, the Maduro regime finances its repressive apparatus with resources from drug trafficking and organized crime: “Every dollar that is cut off from those networks is a direct blow to Maduro, because he uses that money to repress and expand his criminal activities.”
The opposition figure recalled that the alliance between Havana and Caracas began with Hugo Chávez's rise to power, when Fidel Castro recognized the strategic value of Venezuelan oil.
“It was the complete surrender of national sovereignty. Cuban agents infiltrated our intelligence agencies, the Armed Forces, identity organizations, and key ministries. Venezuela continues to gift oil to Cuba, which resells it while the Cuban people live in darkness.”
Machado warned that the axis formed by Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua “is expanding and actively cooperating, sharing technology, money, and intelligence,” but maintained that “the time of impunity has ended.”
We are witnessing a coordinated response from the democracies of Latin America alongside the government of the United States. This may be the hour of liberation. What happens in Venezuela will create a wave of hope that will encompass the entire region, he stated.
He also addressed the Cuban people: “I know that you have resisted with dignity and love for your country. Do not lose faith. We have great allies in the U.S. Congress: Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez, María Elvira Salazar, Marco Rubio… all committed to the freedom of Cuba and Venezuela. The day will come when we can embrace each other in a free Cuba and a democratic Venezuela”.
The Venezuelan Nobel laureate emphasized the role of women in the resistance against authoritarian regimes and concluded her message by honoring the Damas de Blanco: “I love you all very much. You are an example of courage and dignity. We are sisters in the same struggle.”
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