Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Friday that her primary focus remains the restoration of democracy and the release of political prisoners in her home country, rather than her own political future.
When asked if she spoke with Trump about helping her secure the presidential seat, Machado stated simply, “This is not about me.”
“This is about the cartel and justice,” she said. “This is about a criminal structure that is the regime, and the mandate of the Venezuelan people. I’m just one member of a huge movement of millions of Venezuelans who have decided and are committed to be free.”
As Venezuela is reeling from a U.S. military operation earlier this month that removed former dictator Nicolas Maduro from power, the Trump administration has recognized Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, as the acting leader.
Since the ouster, Trump has informally declared himself the “acting president” of Venezuela, even sharing a variant of his Wikipedia profile to reflect the title.
Trump has signaled that the United States will “run” the country for years to rebuild its infrastructure and secure its vast oil reserves.
Machado seemed to criticize Trump legitimizing Rodriguez’s presidency during the presser.
“Delcy Rodriguez is a communist,” Machado said. “The main ally of the Russian regime, the Chinese regime, the Iranians. That’s not the people of Venezuela.”
Machado emphasized her gratitude for Trump and his administration for removing the leader of a “criminal regime” and said she has “no doubt” Venezuelans have the president’s support.
She said the road to a safer Venezuela will be in phases and that her mission right now is centered on human rights and the plight of those still detained by the remnants of the Maduro regime.
While the Rodriguez government has released over 115 political prisoners as a gesture toward the U.S., Machado said every day she learns about new prisoners. Human rights groups estimate that up to 1,000 political prisoners remain in custody.
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Machado noted that Trump is “certainly aware” of these prisoners and expressed that she was impressed with his understanding of the situation.
However, she said she does not believe she can urge the president to take any specific measures regarding political prisoners or Rodriguez.
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