Caracas/New Delhi:
Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner and a long-time champion for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela, has praised India as a “great democracy” and a global example of democratic resilience. Speaking to Times Now from an undisclosed location—where she has remained in hiding for the past 15 months—Machado said she envisions India as a “great ally” of a future democratic Venezuela.
“I hope to speak with Prime Minister Modi and host him in a free Venezuela very soon,” she said, emphasizing the role India could play in supporting the Venezuelan people’s struggle for freedom and sovereignty.
“India Is an Example for the World”
Highlighting India’s global stature, Machado said, “India has been an example for many countries and generations as the largest democracy in the world. This carries a huge responsibility because so many look up to you. Democracies must always be strengthened and never taken for granted.”
Expressing deep admiration for India, she added, “I admire India with all my heart. My daughter visited recently and loved your country. I have many Venezuelan friends who live there, and I follow Indian politics closely.”
Machado said she draws inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, remarking, “Being peaceful is not weakness, and Gandhi showed the whole world what that means.”
“We Need India’s Voice”
Calling on India to support Venezuela’s democratic aspirations, Machado said, “We need India’s voice as a great democracy to speak out for the rights of the Venezuelan people and for popular sovereignty.” She added that once Venezuela achieves a peaceful transition and dismantles the “criminal socialist structures” of the current regime, there would be vast opportunities for Indian investment in energy, infrastructure, and telecommunications.
Allegations of Election Fraud and Repression
Recounting the 2024 presidential election, Machado alleged that the result was “stolen” by President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, despite what she called “overwhelming evidence” of the opposition’s victory.
“On July 28, 2024, we won by a landslide. Though I was banned from running, our candidate—a career diplomat—won with 70% of the vote,” she said. “We collected and digitized 85% of the original tally sheets to prove it. We even offered Maduro a negotiated transition with guarantees, but he refused and unleashed the worst wave of repression in our history.”
Machado claimed that thousands of Venezuelans have since disappeared, with reports of abuse, torture, and killings under the government’s crackdown.
Praises Trump as “Main Ally”
Machado also described U.S. President Donald Trump as a “main ally” in the global effort to restore democracy in Venezuela. “The whole world knows what kind of criminals these individuals (Maduro and his associates) are,” she said. “With firm action from the U.S., the Trump administration, and a growing coalition across Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe—and hopefully Asia—Maduro now understands that his time is over.”
Machado expressed hope that sustained international pressure, led by democratic nations like India and the U.S., will eventually pave the way for a negotiated transition and a free, democratic Venezuela.
