The next is the total transcript of the interview with Venezuelan opposition chief María Corina Machado, a portion of which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Feb. 1, 2026. The interview was carried out on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by Venezuelan opposition chief María Corina Machado, and it’s wonderful to see you right here in particular person after so lengthy.
MARÍA CORINA MACHADO: Likewise. Thanks very a lot.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this previous week. He mentioned the U.S. now doesn’t intend to have any army motion or presence inside Venezuela, apart from possibly at a reopened embassy there. Is that a good suggestion to take that army strain off when the Maduro regime is successfully nonetheless in place?
MACHADO: Nicely, to start with, I’ve to say that on behalf of the Venezuelan individuals, we’re very, very grateful to the American individuals, and the primary hand- in the beginning, to President Trump, to the secretary of state, and in addition to your leaders in Congress. I imply, the- the diploma of assist and care that we have felt on this battle at this second is gigantic, and I feel it’s clear on the- on the behalf and effectively being of the American individuals, but additionally of the Venezuelan individuals, and I might say the entire hemisphere. I don’t suppose that the strain is being taken away. Really, the whole lot Delcy Rodríguez is at present doing is as a result of she’s complying with directions she’s getting from the US, and necessary steps are being taken. So I feel that the message has been delivered, and up to now, we’re seeing the leads to the actions taken by the regime, and in addition within the temper and vitality that’s rising inside the Venezuelan inhabitants.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you, or is anybody in your motion, in contact with Delcy Rodríguez, who’s the appearing president of Venezuela now?
MACHADO: No, circuitously.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No. Why not?
MACHADO: Nicely, we had provided, since we received the election by a landslide, that we had been keen to- to agree within the phrases of a negotiated transition, they refused. Quite the opposite, they determined to unleash the- the- essentially the most merciless, brutal repression wave. There are- as , there have been 1000’s of political prisoners, and so they had not demonstrated any willingness to- to cease this cruelty, till January third arrived and- and occurred when it occurred. So it despatched a transparent message to them, and so they’re beginning to notice that issues have modified for good. So ultimately they may perceive or- and even very quickly, that it’s of their greatest curiosity to- to just accept that transition is unstoppable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: A transition that you simply hope includes a democratic election sooner or later. Did Secretary Rubio provide you with any type of timeline for the American plans?
MACHADO: What I do have very clear is that the top consequence is similar. What we wish, what the Venezuelan individuals have voted and struggled and battle for with large trigger and sacrifice, and what the US authorities and President Trump additionally wishes. It’s a very complicated course of. I imply, it is a prison construction that has intertwined with the enemies of the West, Russia, Iran, China, Cuba, extremist terrorist organizations reminiscent of Hezbollah, Hamas, the cartels, the guerrilla, all in affiliation with the Maduro regime and Delcy Rodríguez and others. So it is a technique of dismantling this construction in the- in a approach that it is most orderly beneath management doable within the brief time period. And sure, the top recreation must be, or the top step must be, a electoral course of during which we are able to have official energy. So I am speaking a few official nationwide meeting, governors, mayors and positively president.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However for the individuals in Venezuela nonetheless residing beneath that regime, what has really modified for them, and have they got the endurance to attend for what you are speaking about, which is principally simply hoping that the Rodríguez authorities does what Donald Trump tells them to do?
MACHADO: Nicely, it is greater than hoping. We’re seeing the outcomes, the actions. Are we there but? Not. And- and I feel it is a good level, what you talked about, endurance. How a lot endurance can the Venezuelan individuals have? As a result of, I imply, there have been over 1,000 political prisoners on January the first. Nonetheless, there are over 700. Not one army prisoner, political prisoner has been liberated. There are women and men which were in jail for years. Even the three police of the Policía Metropolitana have 23 years in jail, and so they haven’t been liberated- launched but.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And Secretary Rubio has mentioned it is not taking place as quick as America desires it to.
MACHADO: Completely. And in- in our case, we wish that to occur instantly. Think about, , the moms of- of- of many of those harmless prisoners have been in vigils for over 23 days and nights. That is one thing that was unthinkable, Margaret, earlier than January third, and it reveals that Venezuelan persons are getting an increasing number of empowered, an increasing number of assured that this course of will ultimately result in a- to a official authorities primarily based on the desire of the individuals, however actually we have to transfer there and depart proof that there is no approach again.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, effectively, President Trump has talked so much about Venezuela’s oil and its pure assets. Do you assist the legislation that was simply handed that enables the Venezuelan Authorities to denationalise the oil business?
MACHADO: Nicely, to start with, I don’t acknowledge the Nationwide Meeting as a official energy. It has not been acknowledged by the Venezuelan individuals, not even by the American- by the U.S. authorities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Not legally, however successfully they–
MACHADO: Yeah, however no matter comes from that Nationwide Meeting has no legality. So- as a result of that is an illegitimate energy. So actually, these so-called reforms introduce constructive indicators by way of what we, the Venezuelan individuals, need sooner or later. We do not need socialism. We do not need the state proudly owning each single, , facility or manufacturing heart. We would like non-public property, however that requires rule of legislation, long run ensures for international funding, for native funding. However one factor that’s a very powerful of all, in my view, that you must have individuals, expertise, specialised, skilled, keen to work and develop these enterprises. What occurred with the Venezuelan specialised expertise? It was compelled to flee the nation, nearly a 3rd of our inhabitants, and these are individuals which are working all around the globe. So think about if a Venezuelan engineer working in Ghawar, the- the biggest oil discipline in Saudi Aramco, would he depart his job and return to Venezuela, the place Delcy Rodríguez, who’s a part of the cartel, is in- and who initially fired him is in energy? After all, not.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, you raised this level, however President Trump simply mentioned on digicam that United States goes to start out peeling again a few of these sanctions in order that People can journey again to Venezuela. He is lifted the air restrictions–
MACHADO: –Nicely, I feel–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –is it secure to go?–
MACHADO: I feel you will need to take steps. I feel these are indicators directed to a number of actors. At the start, to the regime, saying that is going to maneuver ahead. There isn’t any approach again. And- and- and the regime is aware of that no American citizen or Venezuelan citizen goes to return to a rustic that is nonetheless beneath the facility of Maduro regime and the cartel. That is not going to occur. However- however these sorts of actions, I feel, give the right indicators in phrases that that is going to maneuver forward. And I do belief the president in what he has mentioned concerning how a lot he cares concerning the Venezuelan individuals, that is one thing that I feel it was fairly vital in our dialog.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In case you return to Venezuela now, would you be imprisoned, and has the American authorities mentioned that they’ll shield you, they’ll assure your security?
MACHADO: Nicely, , issues are altering very quick in Venezuela. If that they had captured me earlier than I left, I in all probability would have been disappeared or worse. Proper now, I do not suppose they’d dare to kill me due to the US presence and strain and actions. I do not understand how a lot chance of shifting I might have inside Venezuela, actually they’d be very afraid, as a result of the- the regime is aware of the connection, the intimate connection now we have, , the Venezuelan individuals and- and the management that received the election, the official authorities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You received that election together with Edmundo González on the high of that ticket, even the Trump administration acknowledged it. Secretary Rubio testified that to Congress, however then the president of the US stood up there and mentioned to the general public that although you had received that election, you did not have the general public assist. And I’m wondering if you happen to can perceive why they made that calculation, that you simply and your social gathering who received an election could not be that transitional authorities that may do all of the belongings you’re speaking about?
MACHADO: Nicely, Margaret, I’ll focus in what he informed me in a personal dialog, wanting one another within the eyes, and I, and I actually imagine he understands the character of this regime. All of them know that Delcy Rodríguez is a communist that nobody can belief. Not even, , the individuals surrounding her proper now does. I imply these are people which have robust ties with Russia, Iran, China, Cuba. I imply, she is doing what she’s doing as a result of United States is placing sufficient strain for them to grasp that she has no different choice. If that, if that strain had been taken away, she would flip round and return to the place loyal- her loyalty is with these regimes are the enemies of America. So nobody is naive right here. I feel she’s doing a part of the soiled job of dismantling her personal regime and entourage, however that is a- there is a restrict to it. For what you mentioned earlier than, , individuals must be taken account on- of. They must be concerned. And the Venezuelan individuals, 90% of our individuals need the identical. Not solely this regime to go instantly, however we wish to reside in a rustic with human dignity, with solidarity, with justice, with freedom. That is all about bringing our youngsters again dwelling, having our households collectively. It is about saving lives.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What position would you need in a future Venezuelan authorities? As a result of even President Trump says you could have a task sooner or later. Would you run for president?
MACHADO: I will probably be president when the time comes. Nevertheless it does not matter. That must be determined in elections by the Venezuelan individuals. I wasn’t allowed to run within the final election, as we talked about earlier than, as a result of Maduro was afraid to working in opposition to me, and he thought Edmundo was not a menace, as a result of no one knew who he was. And in lower than three months, we managed to place the entire nation supporting him, as a result of this is- that is matter of freedom. I imply, it is a non secular battle, an existential battle for Venezuela. Not like different diasporas, and I wish to stress this, our individuals around the globe, right here in the US, wish to return. Return and reside in a rustic the place they’re secure, however most of all, the place there’s a future in freedom and democracy. So if we wish these a whole lot of 1000’s and tens of millions of Venezuelan to return, we have to have a safe and exact timeline by means of which this transition will advance.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we do not know when yet–
MACHADO: Not yet–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –from the Trump administration in any respect.
MACHADO: Not but. However I am positive there’s, and the secretary of state and plenty of different members of the federal government, by directions of the president, a transparent willingness to maneuver as quick as doable inside, , management and order and understanding the complexity of such a prison construction, however understanding that the voice of the individuals is what brings legitimacy to this course of.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Earlier than I allow you to go. You understand, the final time we spoke, you had made this daring, covert escape by land, sea and air from Venezuela to go and obtain that Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. You have saved these particulars non-public, you mentioned, for security causes, however you probably did say you broke your again, you talked about being misplaced at sea, that you simply feared that you simply may lose your life at one level. In spite of everything of that, why did you give your Nobel Peace Prize to President Trump after you’d already devoted it to him?
MACHADO: Look, I feel it is a matter of justice, and it is a matter of what is within the superior curiosity of our nation. We the Venezuelan individuals, are really grateful for what he has performed, and we’re assured in what he’ll do in the- within the days, weeks and months to come back.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You imagine he helps you.
MACHADO: I do. As a result of it is- it has to do in the beginning with you, the American individuals, and the way dismantling this prison construction not solely saves tens of millions of Venezuelan lives, it additionally saves lives within the Americas. And as soon as Venezuela is free, then the Cuban regime will observe. The Nicaraguan regime will observe, even the Iranian regime that has turned Venezuela into its secure haven and satellite tv for pc solely three hours away from Florida. I imply, this has large consequence for the Western Hemisphere, for United States. So I feel it is a win-win state of affairs for funding, for enterprise alternative, for safety causes, and positively for migration tensions and disaster. So Venezuela will probably be free, and I do know I’ll host you quickly in an exquisite nation that may be very grateful to yours.
MARGARET BRENNAN: María Corina Machado, thanks very a lot on your time at the moment. We’ll be proper again.
