Venezuela’s $1.7 Trillion Opportunity Before Maduro’s Ouster
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Maria Corina Machado‘s Vision for Venezuela:
* Economic Prospect: Machado believes Venezuela has a potential for $1.7 trillion in business opportunities following democratic restoration. This figure comes from her economic advisory team.
* Current state: She describes Venezuela as having fallen from being the richest and freest country in the region to one of the poorest, due to decades of socialist rule. The economy has collapsed by over 80% in recent years, leading to a mass exodus of its population.
* Economic Decline: the IMF estimates Venezuela’s economy declined by roughly 75% as of late 2022. However, the Center for Economic and Policy Research argues this figure doesn’t fully account for the impact of U.S. sanctions.
* Criminal Activity: Machado characterizes Venezuela as a “narco-terrorist state” and a safe haven for criminal activities, accusing the Maduro regime of financing itself through illegal activities like gold smuggling, drug trafficking, and human exploitation.
* Privatization Plan: Her core plan involves rapidly and transparently privatizing over 500 enterprises that were confiscated by the current regime. She emphasizes the importance of rule of law, stability, and fiscal incentives to attract investors.
* Rule of Law: She notes venezuela is currently ranked last in terms of rule of law and pledges a strict approach to transparency and legal frameworks.
Context:
* Machado was speaking at the Fortune Global Forum 2025 weeks after winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her work restoring democracy to Venezuela.