Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart Responds to Reporter on Support for Maria Colina Machado
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart from Florida expressed his frustration towards a reporter who implied he wouldn’t support Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Colina Machado following Nicolás Maduro’s detention.
This exchange took place just after President Trump raised doubts about Machado’s potential leadership, stating he wouldn’t endorse her as a successor.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Díaz-Balart responded, visibly annoyed. “Are you even talking to us? When did we stop supporting her?”
He continued, “Don’t put words in my mouth. I won’t accept that, nor will my colleagues. We’ve been clear about this from the start.”
Díaz-Balart firmly declared, “The next democratically elected president of Venezuela will be Maria Colina Machado.”
His Republican colleagues, Reps. Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar, showed agreement with his statements. All three are Cuban-Americans and have consistently voiced their opposition to the Maduro regime’s ties to Cuba’s communist government.
Earlier in the day, President Trump questioned Machado’s capability to lead Venezuela, commenting, “I think it’s going to be very difficult for her to be our leader. She is not supported or respected in the country. She’s a lovely woman, but that’s the reality.”
Machado had initially been expected to secure the opposition party’s nomination for the 2024 elections; however, the Venezuelan government prevented her from running. She had just recently escaped Venezuela, avoiding proceedings for a Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.
Although Edmundo González eventually became the opposition candidate, he fled to Spain shortly thereafter. The legitimacy of Maduro’s victory in the 2024 elections has been questioned by various critics, including the Biden administration.
Post-arrest, Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, stepped in as acting president, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintaining communication with her.
Regarding the presence of U.S. troops in Venezuela, Trump mentioned: “If the vice president cooperates, we might not need to keep troops there.” This came after he authorized a daring operation to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas.
Now extradited to the U.S., Maduro is anticipated to face trial on drug trafficking charges soon.
On Saturday, representatives from South Florida’s Republican Party held a press conference emphasizing the implications of Maduro’s removal. Jimenez stated, “There will be a new world order, driven by the principles of freedom and democracy instead of tyranny, communism, or socialism.”
