Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has urged the United States to intensify efforts to halt what she described as President Nicolás Maduro’s “war” on Venezuela.
Speaking in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday, Machado repeated her long-standing accusation that Maduro heads a “criminal narco-terrorism structure,” a term previously used by the Trump administration.
She appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for more decisive assistance in removing the Venezuelan leader from power.
Machado went further to say that Trump “absolutely” deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, praising his “incredible efforts” to foster peace in the Middle East.
Her comments follow controversy among MAGA supporters, some of whom were disappointed that Trump did not receive the prize himself.
The remarks also come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, following several U.S. military strikes on boats off Venezuela’s coast that the Trump administration labeled as “narco-trafficking” vessels.
The most recent attack, on Tuesday, reportedly killed six people.
Although the U.S. has not publicly provided evidence that the targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking, officials claim to have a classified legal opinion justifying such lethal actions against cartels and suspected traffickers.
On Wednesday, Trump confirmed authorizing the CIA to operate inside Venezuela, asserting the goal was to stop “illegal drug flows” and suggesting the military campaign could soon extend “by land.”
While Washington insists it is targeting drug networks, Maduro’s government has accused the U.S. of orchestrating regime change. Maduro, who faces U.S. drug trafficking charges, which he strongly denies, has a $50 million bounty placed on his head.
From hiding, Machado welcomed the U.S. strikes, arguing they cut off crucial support for Maduro’s regime. She further accused the president of turning Venezuela into “a real threat to the national security of the United States.”
“In the case of Maduro and his criminal narco-terrorism structure, (it) is (supported) through drug trafficking, gold trafficking, arms trafficking, even human trafficking, and we need to cut those flows from coming in,” María Corina Machado, CNN interview
Machado emphasized that regime change would only come through “applying and enforcing the law” and halting the financial streams that sustain Maduro’s government.
“We need the help of the president of the United States to stop this war, because it is about human lives,” Machado told Amanpour
When asked if she was advocating for a U.S. military intervention, Machado declined to give a direct answer. Instead, she said she wanted the influence of Russia, China, Cuba, and Iran in Venezuela curtailed, adding that her country has become a “safe haven for terrorist organizations.”
Addressing claims that Venezuela’s role in drug trafficking has been overstated, Machado cited what she described as an FBI report from 2020, claiming 24% of the world’s cocaine trade passes through Venezuela.
This was in contrast to Juan Gonzalez, a former U.S. National Security Director under President Joe Biden, who previously stated that 95% of cocaine entering the U.S. originates from Colombia and that Venezuela does not have a domestic drug industry.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Machado the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for keeping “the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.” The committee hailed her as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times,” recognizing her peaceful struggle to restore democracy in Venezuela.
Machado said she dedicated her award to President Trump, asserting that it reflected the feelings of many Venezuelans.
“I absolutely think he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize because of (the) incredible events that are taking place currently in the world,” Machado said
Trump later confirmed that he spoke with Machado after her win, describing her as “very nice.” She, in turn, publicly thanked him on social media “for his decisive support of our cause.”
Born in Caracas in 1967, Machado trained as an industrial engineer before founding Súmate in 2002, a civil organization that promotes electoral transparency and citizens’ political rights.
She attempted to contest Maduro’s re-election last year, but was barred by the regime. Machado then threw her support behind Edmundo González Urrutia, mobilizing citizens and election observers to demand a fair vote.
When the opposition claimed victory, the government launched a widespread crackdown on dissent.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Maduro regime has “killed, tortured, detained, and forcibly disappeared people seeking democratic change.”
Since then, Machado has been living in hiding, surfacing briefly during January protests. Asked if she feared for her life after winning the Nobel Peace Prize, she responded:
“Oh, yes, I do. They would dare to do anything to stay in power, but at the end, as we speak, he’s more isolated than ever,” María Corina Machado
From an undisclosed location, the Venezuelan opposition leader remains defiant, even as she acknowledges the danger that comes with challenging Maduro’s grip on power.
