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The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado stated this Monday that “the freedom of Venezuela is near” and thanked the American president Donald Trump for his “firmness and determination” following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, in a message aimed at projecting optimism amid the political confusion regarding the country's future.
"The brave people of Venezuela took to the streets in 30 countries and 130 cities around the world to celebrate a significant step that marks the inevitability and imminence of the transition in Venezuela," Machado wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter). "Venezuela will be the primary ally of the United States in matters of security, energy, democracy, and human rights."
Machado's words arrive at a time of notable political ambiguity, following the contradictory announcements from Washington. Although Trump stated that the United States is "in charge" of Venezuela, he also pointed out that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—designated interim president by the Venezuelan Supreme Court after Maduro's detention—will lead a transitional government "under American conditions."
The Republican leader himself undermined Machado's leadership by stating that "he does not have enough internal support," hinting that his administration is negotiating directly with Rodríguez and his circle.
The message from the opposition figure, however, aims to keep the legitimacy of the democratic opposition alive that she led together with Edmundo González Urrutia, and to reaffirm her role in front of the thousands of Venezuelans in exile who came out to celebrate the overthrow of Chávez.
"The freedom of Venezuela is near, and soon we will celebrate in our land", wrote Machado. "We will shout, pray, and embrace each other as a family, because our children will return home."
The enthusiasm of the opposition contrasts with the institutional silence in Caracas and the lack of a clear political calendar. For now, Venezuela's "transition" remains more of a promise than a reality.
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