Published on February 10, 2025

María Corina Machado as Venezuela’s Fearless Leader

By Magdalena Torrealba
Maria Corina Machado, The Guardian of Venezuela’s Future / Image credit: Magdalena Torrealba
Maria Corina Machado, The Guardian of Venezuela’s Future - Image credit: Magdalena Torrealba
In a fractured democracy, María Corina Machado defies repression and fraud, standing firm against the regime and offering Venezuela hope for change.

In recent years, María Corina Machado has become one of the most important women in the Venezuelan opposition. Her career has been defined by her unwavering defiance of the authoritarian regime. Since the dictatorship of Hugo Chavez and later Nicolas Maduro, María Corina Machado has continued to fight against the regime, protesting for freedom of expression, free elections, economic reform and the restoration of democratic institutions.

Who is María Corina Machado?

María Corina Machado, born October 7, 1967, in Caracas, Venezuela, trained as an industrial engineer at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. There, she developed a strong foundation in analytical thinking, problem-solving, and economic structures—skills that would later complement her transition into political life. 

August 17, 2024
Image credit: Magdalena Torrealba

Her Background & Political Career

Machado's political career gained momentum in January 2011 when she became the National Assembly candidate with the highest number of votes in its history, securing a seat as a deputy. Following the death of Hugo Chávez in March 2013, early elections were called in, and Machado participated in the primary elections as a presidential candidate. However, she obtained only a few votes, coming in third place. The winner of the primaries was Henrique Capriles Radonski, who received more than 60% of the votes and consolidated himself as the sole candidate of the opposition to face Hugo Chavez in that year's presidential elections. 

In the 2013 presidential election, Venezuela faced fraud, with accusations against Hugo Chávez's government for the unusual circumstances of his victory. Several elements led the Venezuelan people to question the legitimacy of the results, including discrepancies in the electoral lists and the lack of transparency in the vote-counting process. Henrique Capriles, the opposition candidate, and the Venezuelan people came out against these frauds.

However, no one could confirm them due to the government's control over the electoral institutions and the absence of official tally sheets. Demonstrators took to the streets, denouncing the lack of regular elections, restrictions on freedom of speech and the severe deterioration of economic conditions. María Corina Machado remained steadfast, supporting Capriles' candidacy and continuing to fight for democracy, opposing the authoritarian takeover of Venezuela's electoral and political system.

Years of Resistance (2014 - 2022)

2014 was one of Venezuela's most severe periods of political crisis and economic deterioration, particularly between February and May, marking one of the gravest moments in 25 years of dictatorship. In February 2014, massive student protests erupted across multiple cities. The students were protesting for a better future, fighting against the severe conditions driving the country to an economic crisis affecting nearly 90% of the population. This crisis led to extreme consequences, including inflation, disruptions in the food supply and widespread social unrest. The government's repression ended up killing approximately 40 innocent students and injuring thousands of people.

At the same time, the United States began cutting diplomatic ties with Venezuela and imposing sanctions on high-ranking government officials. This was the same year in which, in March, María Corina Machado was removed from the National Assembly. María Corina Machado was removed from the National Assembly and accused of treason for denouncing the Venezuelan crisis before the Organization of American States. 

By 2017, Venezuela faced another wave of protests against the regime of Nicolas Maduro; as the years passed, people continued to seek change and fight for justice. The demonstrations lasted about four months, during which thousands of people were injured and arrested, and more than 150 were killed. By 2017, inflation had exceeded 2,600%, food shortages had reached a critical level and the economic crisis was massive. This led many Venezuelans, from 700,000 to more than 1,600,000 between 2015 and 2017, to immigrate with disillusionment to leave the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro.

April 2017, Protests in Caracas, Venezuela
Image credit: Magdalena Torrealba 

Later, in 2019, Venezuelans thought the dictatorship was coming to an end when Juan Guaidó (an opposition leader) declared himself interim president of Venezuela, with the support of military groups and the Venezuelan people who were crying out for freedom; also with the support of more than 50 countries, to oust Maduro after his disputed re-election in 2018. María Corina Machado, while supporting Guaidó, criticized the opposition's focus on negotiations, insisting that Maduro would not resign voluntarily. Over time, the movement lost strength due to government repression and lack of military support, which led to a decline in Guaidó's influence.  

After years of intense fights, in 2022, Venezuela was silent. The fragmented opposition and Maduro’s repression left the people demoralized, losing faith in change as the government tightened its grip on power.
 

María Corina Machado's Current Role

Venezuela is experiencing a remarkable citizen mobilization against Nicolas Maduro's corrupt regime. This year, new leadership and alliances arose that once again strengthened the Venezuelan people's fight against the government. The OVCS has documented that there were 4,351 protests in the country during the first semester of 2023, a 12% increase from the first semester of 2022.

In 2023, María Corina Machado won the Venezuelan opposition primaries, positioning herself as Maduro’s strongest challenger for the 2024 presidential elections. But the regime disqualified her from running, blocking her candidacy. Despite this, she continued to lead the opposition. Subsequently, the opposition chose Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the candidate to face Maduro in the 2024 elections. Despite the fraudulent election that took place in August 2024, González Urrutia and Machado have worked together for Venezuela's freedom. The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, the Organization of American States (OAS) and several Latin American countries, including Colombia, Brazil and Argentina. 

The Fight Continues

Venezuela is currently in a delicate situation. The president-elect of Venezuela, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, had to flee the country because he was risking his life. Still, he has been in constant work with presidents worldwide, speaking for Venezuela's freedom.

María Corina Machado never ceases to amaze Venezuelan society. She has been in continuous communication and works with the whole country even though she has to be imprisoned and put into hiding because her life is in danger. She has faced threats and persecution, yet she refuses to back down; the Maduro regime has intensified its repression against her, limiting her public appearances. On January 10, 2025, The "President" Nicolas Maduro, hosted his own inauguration and assumed the power of the presidency for the next 4 years.

That same day, María Corina Machado took to the streets with the Venezuelan people. Due to her bravery in confronting the dictatorship, she was "kidnapped" for a few hours. She was persecuted and captured by the regime in strange circumstances, unleashing theories about her whereabouts and the true purpose of her detention. 

Hours later, she was surprisingly released and is now hiding and sheltered in Venezuela, continuing to fight. Although the people are beginning to lose faith, she has been clear: "No hay vuelta atras y esto es hasta el final." | "There is no going back, and the fight is until the end." 

Written by

Magdalena Torrealba
She / Her

A 21-year-old Venezuelan, she is currently in her senior year. Majoring in Global Communications and minoring in Psychology. She is passionate about branding and marketing.