Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado expressed her support for President Trump’s maritime strikes in the Caribbean, attributing responsibility for casualties from U.S. airstrikes to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“For years, we have been urging the international community to cut off information sources linked to drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises,” Machado shared with journalist Mishal Hussein during a recent episode of her renowned Bloomberg podcast. “At last, this is taking place.”
When questioned if the deaths during the attack on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel were warranted, the Venezuelan opposition leader remarked, “This is about saving lives. Mr. Maduro is fully aware and has been cautioned against taking any action.”
“Nicolás Maduro bears responsibility for these fatalities,” she added. “He, along with the other drug lords in Venezuela, should cease these operations to avert further loss of life.”
The Trump administration has conducted attacks on numerous vessels across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, targeting what they label “narco-terrorists” dealing drugs to the U.S. Some of these strikes occurred near Venezuela’s coastline.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that a recent operation against a ship carrying alleged “narco-terrorists” resulted in 61 fatalities, as reported by the Trump administration.
Both political parties have raised concerns regarding the legality of these operations. The Trump administration has claimed that the U.S. is at war with drug cartels to justify the strikes, while Senate Democrats argue this violates laws prohibiting assassinations.
This boat attack is part of a larger U.S. effort to exert pressure on Maduro’s regime, which the Trump administration deems “illegitimate.” Concurrently, the Venezuelan government has ramped up its military presence in the Caribbean, possibly as a show of force against Maduro.
Earlier this month, President Trump disclosed that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions in Venezuela, hinting at the potential for a ground invasion.
“We’re simply going to eliminate those responsible for bringing drugs into our country, understood?” President Trump told reporters recently. “We’re going to take them out.”
Machado, a vocal opponent of the Maduro administration, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month for spearheading an initiative that involved Trump and his supporters in recognizing the president for his role in mediating multiple global conflicts.
In her acceptance remarks, she expressed gratitude to President Trump, praising his unwavering support for democracy in Venezuela. Since last year, when Maduro reclaimed the presidency in a widely criticized election, Machado has been living in hiding in South America.
During her discussion with Hussain, Machado indicated she is in correspondence with several U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In response to concerns about due process for those killed in attacks on U.S. ships, she described the situation as a “very cruel war.”
“Mr. Maduro is not a conventional dictator,” she emphasized. “We are confronting a narco-terrorist organization that has turned Venezuelan land, resources, and institutions into a criminal cartel’s domain.”
