Maria Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has publicly called for US military action to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power. In recent interviews, Machado stated that the ongoing US anti-drug campaign off Venezuela’s coast represents the only viable path to oust Maduro, whom she labels an ‘illegitimate’ leader and a ‘narcoterrorist.’
Venezuela’s current government, under Maduro, has accused Washington of a covert coup attempt through its naval operations near its coast. In response to accusations of drug-trafficking ties, the Trump administration deployed a naval armada to the western Caribbean, and since September, US forces have conducted strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels off Venezuela’s coast. Analysts suggest that the mission may expand beyond counter-narcotics operations, with reports of a growing US naval presence in the region.
Machado, who was barred from last year’s elections, claims that the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won, making Maduro’s presidency illegitimate. She argued that the current situation is not a conventional regime change, but rather an enforcement of the people’s will, as Maduro is described as ‘the head of a narcoterrorist structure.’
Maduro, in turn, has accused Machado of being a Washington-backed figure, citing past US support for her political activities. The Venezuelan president has also criticized the US for fabricating a new war, claiming the military operations constitute a violation of sovereignty. In response to these threats, Maduro has allegedly sought military aid from Russia, China, and Iran to bolster his defenses.
Russia, which recently ratified a strategic partnership treaty with Venezuela, has condemned the US campaign, highlighting the broader implications of the growing international tensions over Venezuela. As the situation escalates, the potential for further conflict and the impact on regional stability remain significant concerns.