María Corina Machado told a group of journalists that she was “impressed” by “how clear President Donald Trump is” regarding his knowledge of the Venezuelan situation. He said that he presented the American president with the Nobel Peace medal “in recognition of his support for the democratic struggle in Venezuela.”
The opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado, assured this Thursday that the president of the United States, Donald Trump, “understands” and “is clear” about the current situation of the country, what it needs in the immediate future and the potential it has as “a strong ally” of the United States in the region.
«I think the President (Trump) understands very well what is happening in Venezuela and fully understands the potential of our country as a strong ally of the United States. He is deeply concerned about the safety of the Venezuelan people, about the children who are not going to school because teachers earn barely a dollar a day. The President truly understands this reality,” Machado said during a meeting with US senators.
Later, Machado told a group of journalists that she was “impressed” by “how clear Trump is” regarding his knowledge of the Venezuelan situation.
«How do you care about what Venezuela is experiencing. I assured him that Venezuelan society, more than 90% today, want the same thing: to live with freedom, and for our children to return, for that democracy has to return,” said the opponent.
Likewise, he said that the US president “is seeking to achieve the freedom of all political prisoners”, an issue that Trump himself referred to on the social network Thruth Social, after the Venezuelan authorities reported on “a large number” of releases on January 8.
The opposition leader also said that Venezuelan society is “deeply pro-American,” and that it is determined to “recover freedom, justice and democracy.”
«I want to assure you that we are going to make Venezuela a free and safe country, and the strongest ally that the United States has ever had in this region… When Venezuela is free, millions of Venezuelans will return of their own free will. “There is hope in the future,” he said.
Earlier, the Nobel Prize winner held a meeting of just over two hours with Trump. He described the meeting at the White House as “extraordinary” and a great “opportunity” to “convey what the Venezuelan people are experiencing right now.”
*Read also: Trump – Machado meeting ends: an “excellent” meeting with “high expectations”
In that meeting, of which Edmundo González Urrutia, whom he supports as president-elect, said he was informed, Machado presented the US president with the Nobel Peace medal “in recognition of his support for the democratic struggle in Venezuela.”
«President Trump told me that 200 years ago General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a George Washington medal and he never stopped wearing it. Exactly 200 years later, Bolívar’s heirs present this medal to the president of the United States in recognition of his commitment to our freedom,” he said.
Machado said that this is a “historic” moment not only for Venezuela, “but for the future of freedom in the world.”
In this sense, he assured that January 3 – the date of the US attack in Caracas – “changed the history of our country forever, and for the better” with the capture of Nicolás Maduro, while taking stock of the last 26 years of Chavismo.
«35 elections, millions of people in the streets. Some were killed. Adolescents and children. Women sexually abused just for defending their vote. “Seventeen different attempts at dialogue, and all betrayed,” he listed.
Machado’s warning
María Corina Machado referred to the Chavista administration, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, and warned that they seek to “gain time and take advantage of the efforts made in good faith.”
«Delcy Rodríguez is part of the regime. There is no way a country where 86% of the population lives in poverty can attract real investment. “Who is going to invest in Venezuela if there is no independent judiciary and private property is not respected?” questioned the opponent.
For Machado, the latest pressure from the United States on the Venezuelan government, including the capture of Maduro and subsequent agreements on energy matters, have “generated expectations and hope.”
«But it has also sent a clear message to the entire region about security, and to irregular and criminal actors about the consequences of their actions. They understand that this is over. “This model is not sustainable,” he stated.
He highlighted in his message the need to “dismantle the system of repression” to recover fundamental freedoms within Venezuelan society. “It’s not just about political prisoners: they can be released and still not be truly free… For there to be reconciliation, there has to be justice.”
Meeting with senators
During her meeting with several US senators, the opposition leader thanked them for “trusting the Venezuelan people when many thought it was impossible. “We managed to unite a country again.”
He reiterated that the reconstruction of the country and a democratic transition will be a “very difficult” scenario, although he commented that “what we have achieved so far is extraordinary.”
Senators Jacky Rosen, Alex Padilla, John Curtis, Peter Welch, Jean Shaheen, Dick Durbin, Rick Scott, Ted Cruz, Bernie Moreno, Chris Murphy, Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Chris Coons participated in the meeting.
María Corina Machado reaffirmed that the Trump administration understands that the return of Venezuelans to the country involves “rebuilding institutions, respecting human rights, guaranteeing freedom of expression, the rule of law and a new authentic electoral process.”
Likewise, she insisted that “Venezuela has an elected president, and I feel very proud to work alongside him.”
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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