Trump dismisses Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, signals support for Maduro deputy

After the capture of Nicolas Maduro, Trump dismissed Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, stating she doesnt have the support or the respect of the Venezuelan people. Instead, Trump indicated the U.S. would work with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who he claimed had been sworn in as president and was amenable to US objectives. This contradicts the stated goal of restoring democracy, as Rodriguez was part of the Maduro regime. Machado had called for legitimate opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to immediately assume his constitutional mandate. The move suggests the invasion was about installing a compliant government rather than restoring democracy.

"She doesnt have the support or the respect of the Venezuelan people"