Maria Machado: Nobel Laureate Calls for Venezuelan Leadership
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Report: U.S. Forces Apprehend venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Wife Cilia Flores
Updated January 7, 2026, 06:57:08 AM EST
What happened?
On an unspecified date last week, United States forces reportedly entered Caracas, Venezuela, and arrested President Nicolás maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. This action,according to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado,positions her to assume leadership of the country,having been “mandated” by the people. Machado expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his “leadership and courage” in authorizing the operation as reported by the BBC.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez refuted claims that the U.S. is in control of Venezuela, stating, “The Venezuelan government rules our country, and no-one else does.There is no external agent governing Venezuela.” reuters reported.
Background: the Maduro Government and Venezuelan Political Crisis
Nicolás Maduro assumed the presidency of Venezuela in 2013, following the death of Hugo Chávez. His tenure has been marked by a severe economic crisis, hyperinflation, and widespread shortages of food and medicine. The Council on Foreign Relations provides a detailed overview of the Venezuelan political crisis.
The legitimacy of Maduro’s government has been repeatedly questioned, notably after the 2018 presidential election, which was widely considered fraudulent by international observers. Juan Guaidó, then-president of the National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January 2019, a move recognized by the United States and several othre countries.However, Guaidó’s authority waned over time, and he was removed as interim president by the opposition-controlled National Assembly in December 2022.