Corina Machado assured that the transition in Venezuela is “irreversible” and thanked the United States

The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado assured this Thursday that the political transition in Venezuela is “irreversible” and affirmed that her return to the country shows that the process is advancing. In his first press conference since he returned last Sunday, after spending ten months abroad, he also thanked the United States Government for the capture of Nicolás Maduro, which occurred on January 3.

“My presence in Venezuela shows that the transition is advancing,” said Machado, who considered that recent events reflect that the roadmap promoted by Washington continues forward.

The opposition leader also maintained that the deadlines for calling presidential elections were clearer and that the process must advance responsibly given the urgency of the Venezuelan situation.

Machado spoke about the deadlines to call elections in Venezuela

During the conference, Machado referred to the statements of a US State Department official, who indicated that the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, should declare the Presidency vacant in 2027. According to this proposal, a period of six months would be opened to call elections.

“The deadlines have become clearer. This responsibly addresses the urgency of a country,” said Machado. The opponent considered that the three days that have passed since her return to the country show that the three-phase plan proposed by the United States is moving forward.

For her part, Delcy Rodríguez maintained that the elections provided for in the Constitution will be held in Venezuela, although she avoided specifying a date. The president in charge affirmed that the political horizon should not be defined only by a calendar, but also by the fulfillment of previous objectives, including guaranteeing fair conditions of participation for all political forces.

Gratitude to the United States for the capture of Maduro

Machado thanked the US Government for the arrest of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, a military operation that, according to his assessment, opened an opportunity for Venezuela to advance towards freedom and a democratic transition.

His statements occur in the midst of discussions about the institutional future of the country and opposition demands for presidential elections to be called.

The leader reaffirmed her commitment to Venezuela during the conference: “I am here to give everything,” she expressed.

What was Machado’s return to Venezuela like?

Machado also explained that his return to the country was organized by his own team and that he had the collaboration of different people, both inside and outside Venezuela.

“I managed to return to Venezuela with a highly competent, highly qualified team, many people helped inside and outside the country. It was something strictly autonomous, completely organized by our teams,” he stated.

However, he did not provide details about how he finally managed to enter Venezuelan territory, after having reported obstacles to returning.