María Corina Machado Calls Venezuela Transition a 'Berlin Wall Moment' for the Americas

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado told the New York Post that a successful democratic transition in Venezuela would rapidly revive the country's economy, reverse years of instability and reshape politics across the Americas. She argued the outcome could become a defining element of former President Donald Trump's foreign policy legacy.

Machado's Claim and Vision

Machado drew a direct comparison between a successful Venezuelan transition and the fall of the Berlin Wall, saying the effects for the hemisphere would be similarly transformative.

"The legacy to the world is going to be huge. You’re going to have a prosperous Venezuela and the region.… If you make a comparison in history, this would mean for the Americas as much as the fall of the Berlin Wall had for Europe. It’s equivalent," Machado told the New York Post. "For the first time in history, you will have the Americas free of communism, dictatorship and narco-terrorism for the first time."

Plans To Return

Machado said she intends to return to Venezuela soon to help steer the democratic transition despite the personal risks she faces under the country’s current authorities. "I need to be there. I want to go back as soon as possible," she told the newspaper.

The State Department told Fox News that a "limited number" of people are working on the ground in Venezuela.

Political Shift In Caracas

Her planned return comes as Delcy Rodríguez — described in reports as an interim president and a close ally of Nicolás Maduro — leads a U.S.-backed transition after the reported removal of Maduro. According to media accounts, Rodríguez was sworn in on Jan. 5 after U.S. forces carried out an operation that removed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas compound.

Maduro and Flores were reportedly flown to New York and arraigned in federal court on multiple charges; both pleaded not guilty. Rodríguez has since been described as coordinating with the White House and has held a phone conversation with former President Donald Trump.

Machado's Warning

Despite the contacts between Rodríguez and U.S. officials, Machado warned that the transition could fail to deliver meaningful change if Rodríguez remains in charge. "If Delcy Rodríguez stays, nothing truly changes. There will be no rule of law, no trust, no stability. Venezuelans will not come home under a criminal," she said.

Note: Quotations and many specific details in this article are attributed to Machado's interview with the New York Post and to subsequent media reports on the political situation in Caracas.