The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado stated this Monday in Washington that Venezuela will be free and that, once her country is liberated, she will continue the work for a free Cuba and a free Nicaragua during a speech broadcast by Fox News from the United States Congress.
Machado stated that “for the first time in history we have Americas free from communism, dictatorship, and narco-terrorism,” and described the moment as historic. He added that this achievement would not have been possible without “the commitment, resilience, generosity, and courage of the Venezuelan people,” as well as “the support, vision, and courage of incredible leaders, such as the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the members of this honorable Congress.”
The Republican congressman Carlos Giménez shared images of the meeting and celebrated the message of the Venezuelan leader in a post on X. “María Corina Machado is my friend, my sister in the struggle, and she is truly an inspiration for those of us who love freedom,” he wrote after welcoming her to the Capitol. “It is a great honor to receive her in Congress as the hero, liberator, Nobel Peace Prize winner that she is. Soon, we will do the same in a free Venezuela!,” he added.
Machado's visit to Congress comes just a few days after President Donald Trump publicly praised the opposition figure and hinted at the possibility of her involvement in the political transition process in Venezuela following Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces on January 3, as noted in statements from the White House.
We are talking to María; perhaps we can involve her in some way. I would love to be able to do that, said the leader, who described her as “an incredible woman” and “a very intelligent, brave person with love for her country.”
The rapprochement between the U.S. administration and the Venezuelan leader has been interpreted as an acknowledgment of her role in organizing the internal opposition and her leadership in the Vente Venezuela movement.
During her recent meeting with Trump, Machado symbolically presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal, which she received in 2025, “in recognition of her unique commitment to our freedom,” as she stated in a declaration released after the meeting. The gesture was celebrated by Republican congress members such as María Elvira Salazar and Mario Díaz-Balart, who deemed it historic and a sign of the United States' support for Venezuelan democracy, according to reactions gathered on social media.
Machado has reiterated that her goal is to lead a democratic transition without the participation of the PSUV and that, “when the right moment comes, I will be the first elected woman president of Venezuela,” as she expressed in an interview with Fox News.
The leader stated that her country is “on the brink of a profound transformation” and that Venezuela will be “the greatest ally that the United States has ever had in the region.”
In his speech before lawmakers in Washington, he emphasized that the goal is not limited to Venezuelan territory: “Once we liberate Venezuela, we will continue working and have a free Cuba and a free Nicaragua.”
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