Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado vowed to return to her country with her Nobel Peace Prize award, saying that her country will soon be “democratic and free.” Machado, who had been in hiding for a year after the disputed election of President Nicolás Maduro, said she received support from the US government to travel to Norway.
Machado called on the international community to help stop violence and funding sources that sustain the Maduro regime. However, when asked if she would support US military intervention in Venezuela, Machado skirted the question, instead emphasizing the need for global action against Maduro’s oppressive policies.
The Venezuelan opposition leader also highlighted the human cost of Maduro’s rule, stating that millions of people have been forced to flee poverty and persecution. Machado expressed her hope that one day Venezuela will be a “bright, democratic and free country” where citizens can enjoy freedom and democracy.
This comes as the US has escalated pressure on Maduro’s regime, seizing an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a move aimed at weakening his government. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of flooding the US with drugs and criminals, and has designated Venezuelan criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/venezuela-oil-tanker-machado-oslo-12-11-25-intl