Overview
- U.S. officials say Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and flown out of Venezuela, with Attorney General Pam Bondi stating they will face U.S. criminal charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy.
- In her first statement, María Corina Machado declared "the hour of freedom" and called on the armed forces to recognize Edmundo González as president and commander in chief.
- The United States already recognizes González as Venezuela’s legitimate leader following the disputed 2024 election, which opposition tallies say he won by a wide margin.
- Analysts cite strong public support for Machado and González to lead a transitional government, while warning that loyalties within the military and security services will determine the outcome.
- Machado, a 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate currently in Oslo after a covert extraction from Venezuela, urged supporters to stay organized as the opposition presses for a lawful transfer of power.