Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has emerged as the key political figure to watch after the United States said it captured President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country following a large-scale overnight military operation.
With Maduro removed from power and facing US criminal charges, attention has rapidly shifted to who could lead Venezuela through a political transition — and whether Machado is positioned to take that role.
Opposition figurehead for years
Machado has been the most prominent face of Venezuela’s opposition movement in recent years, galvanizing support amid widespread anger over economic collapse, mass migration and political repression.
She won the opposition’s primary last year in a landslide, positioning herself as the strongest challenger to Maduro’s rule.
Supporters view Machado as a symbol of resistance to Chavismo, praising her uncompromising stance against Maduro’s government and her calls for democratic reform.
Her prolonged periods in hiding and restricted public appearances have reinforced her image as a dissident leader under constant threat, while also limiting her ability to organize openly inside the country.
Will she lead Venezuela?
Whether Machado ultimately becomes Venezuela’s leader remains uncertain. Any formal leadership role would depend on the lifting of sanctions and bans, fresh elections, and a stable transition framework.
US launches ‘large-scale strike’ on Venezuela
The United States carried out a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and flying them out of the country, US officials said, in an extraordinary overnight military operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media.
Trump disclosed the operation hours after the attack, describing it as a joint effort involving US law enforcement, and said further details would follow.
Trump announces capture on social media
Trump announced the development on Truth Social shortly after 4:30 am ET (0930 GMT), saying Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.”
“This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement. Details to follow,” Trump wrote, adding that the strike was carried out “successfully.” He said he would hold a news conference later Saturday.
Maduro, wife to face US charges
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and Flores would face criminal charges following an indictment in New York.
Bondi said the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Maduro was indicted in the Southern District of New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. It was not previously known that his wife had also been indicted.
2020 narcoterrorism indictment
During Trump’s first term, the Justice Department accused Maduro of turning Venezuela into a criminal enterprise serving drug traffickers and terrorist groups.
Prosecutors unsealed indictments against 14 officials and government-linked figures, offering rewards of $55 million for Maduro and four others. One New York indictment accused Maduro and socialist leader Diosdado Cabello of conspiring to “flood the United States with cocaine” and use the drug trade as a “weapon against America.”
Explosions reported in Caracas
At least seven explosions were reported in Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, sending residents rushing into the streets. The apparent attack lasted less than 30 minutes, and it was not immediately clear whether there were casualties.
Venezuela demands proof of life
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government did not know the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores and demanded confirmation that they were alive.
“We demand proof of life,” Rodríguez said.
Opposition declines comment
Spokespeople for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declined to comment on the US operation.
Machado was last seen publicly last month after emerging from nearly a year in hiding to travel to Norway, where she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
US officials: ‘The tyrant is gone’
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the seizure of Maduro marked “a new dawn for Venezuela.”
“The tyrant is gone,” Landau wrote on
Rubio briefs lawmakers
Senator Mike Lee of Utah said Rubio told him that Maduro had been arrested by US personnel and would stand trial in the United States.
Lee said Rubio anticipated “no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody.”
María Corina Machado: A brief profile
María Corina Machado is Venezuela’s most prominent opposition leader and a long-time critic of the governments of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. An engineer-turned-politician, she has emerged as the central figure rallying the anti-Chavista movement amid Venezuela’s prolonged political and economic crisis.
Born on October 7, 1967, in Caracas, Machado comes from a conservative, Catholic family. She holds a degree in industrial engineering from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and a master’s degree in finance from IESA. Before politics, she worked in the auto industry and founded charitable organizations focused on vulnerable children.
Rise through civil society
Machado rose to national prominence in 2001 as a co-founder of Súmate, a civil society group dedicated to election monitoring and voter participation. Her role in organizing the 2004 recall referendum against Chávez made her a target of government accusations, including treason charges that were later suspended or dismissed.
She was elected to the National Assembly in 2010, becoming one of the country’s highest vote-getters. Known for her confrontational style, she frequently challenged Chávez and later Maduro on authoritarianism, corruption, and nationalisations.
Machado ran in the 2012 opposition presidential primary, losing to Henrique Capriles but cementing her position as a national opposition figure. In 2023, she won the opposition’s unity primary by a landslide to contest the 2024 presidential election.
Disqualification and election crisis
The Maduro government barred Machado from holding public office for 15 years, blocking her candidacy. Her proposed replacements were also disqualified, leading the opposition to rally behind diplomat Edmundo González. Opposition vote tallies showed González winning the July 2024 election, while authorities declared Maduro the victor without publishing detailed results.
Following the disputed election, Machado announced she had gone into hiding, citing threats to her life and freedom. Despite this, she remained the opposition’s most influential strategist and public face.
international recognition
Machado has received multiple global honors, including the Sakharov Prize, Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for her efforts to promote democratic rights and a peaceful transition in Venezuela. She has also been named among BBC’s 100 Women and Time’s 100 most influential people.
