María Corina Machado says the people of Venezuela have picked her opposition movement to lead the country, as former President Nicolás Maduro's ouster over the weekend leaves questions about Venezuela's political future.
Machado spoke with "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil in a network exclusive less than a week after the U.S. military captured Maduro in an early-morning operation.
A former legislator, Machado won a primary race to run against Maduro in Venezuela's 2024 presidential election. The government thenbanned herfrom running, but retired diplomat Edmundo González stepped in as a replacement. The U.S. and other governmentsrecognized González as the winnerafter the Maduro government was accused of rigging the vote tallies.
As a result, Machado said "the people of Venezuela have already chosen" who should take over Venezuela's government now that Maduro is out of power.
Asked if that means she should be Venezuela's next leader, Machado responded: "Absolutely yes," noting that her coalition has a president-elect in González.
"We are ready and willing to serve our people, as we have been mandated," she said.
It's unclear when — or whether — González or Machado could return to Venezuela and help lead the country. Maduro's handpicked vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is currently Venezuela's interim president. Machado told CBS News that Rodriguez is "nothing like a moderate" and "nobody trusts her," citing thekey roleshe played in the Maduro regime.
And President Trump has doubted that Machado could take over, telling reporters on Saturday: "She's a very nice woman, but she doesn't have the respect."
In response to Mr. Trump's comments, Machado emphasized that she is "very grateful" for his decision to order Maduro's capture and arrest on drug charges.
"A few weeks ago, people would have said it was impossible to reach this point. And President Trump's leadership and courage has brought Nicolás Maduro to face justice. And this is huge," Machado said. "This is a major step towards restoring prosperity and rule of law and democracy in Venezuela."
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