Khaberni - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said in a statement published on the platform «X», Saturday, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been removed from power after his refusal to leave office through negotiation.
Today, American President Donald Trump announced that the United States directed strikes to Venezuela and arrested Maduro, who ruled the country for a long period, in Washington's most direct involvement in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989.
Trump wrote in his post on his «Truth Social» site: «The United States of America successfully executed a widespread strike against Venezuela and its leader President Nicolas Maduro, who was arrested along with his wife», indicating that they would be transferred to New York.
Machado stated that her fellow opposition member, Edmundo Gonzalez, who the opposition, the United States, and international observers say won the 2024 elections, should assume the presidency.
She added that the «moment of freedom» has come in Venezuela, noting that the opposition will restore order in the country and release political prisoners, according to Reuters news agency.
The Venezuelan opposition claims that Maduro has repeatedly deprived it of reaching power through manipulating elections, besides suppressing popular protests and jailing opposition figures.
Maduro mocked Machado, describing her as Trump's agent.
The whereabouts of Machado are still unknown after her recent secret flight from Venezuela to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
A source close to the opposition, who requested anonymity, said that the overthrow of Maduro is an «internal operation» with the assistance of the Venezuelan military. The source added, without providing any evidence: «There will be no military action at the moment, but this is a message to the rest of the Venezuelan government members: look at what the United States can do, withdraw now and negotiate.»
