Sunday, November 02, 2025

Nobel Peace Prize winner calls for military attack on her own country

Washington’s anti-drug campaign off Venezuela’s coast is the only way to oust “illegitimate” Nicolas Maduro, Maria Corina Machado has said

2 Nov, 2025 08:56

The US military buildup off Venezuela’s coast could help bring about regime change, opposition figure Maria Corina Machado has said. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate this year signaled she would welcome US strikes on the country if they help remove President Nicolas Maduro.

Washington has accused Maduro of having ties to drug cartels, calling him a “narcoterrorist.” Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump deployed a naval armada to the western Caribbean, and since September, US forces have struck alleged drug-smuggling vessels off Venezuela’s coast.

Media reports say Washington is expanding its naval presence, with analysts suggesting that the mission could extend beyond counter-narcotics. Trump denied planning direct strikes inside Venezuela, but reportedly reviewed a list of potential targets.

Asked on Bloomberg’s ‘The Mishal Husain Show’ if she backs US military action, Machado said, “I believe the escalation that’s taking place is the only way to force Maduro to understand that it’s time to go.”

Venezuela seeking military aid from Russia, China and Iran – WaPo

She claimed that Maduro “illegally” seized power in last year’s election, from which she was barred. Machado also claimed that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the election. Ousting Maduro, she said, would not be “regime change in the conventional way,” since he is “not the legitimate president” but “the head of a narcoterrorist structure.”

“This is not regime change, this is enforcing the will of the Venezuelan people,” she stressed.

Maduro has accused Machado of channeling US funds to “fascist” anti-government groups, calling her a front for Washington’s interference in Venezuelan affairs. Machado has had close contacts with the US government for decades. In 2005, then-President George W. Bush received her at the Oval Office.

Asked if US military force is the only way to remove Maduro, Machado said the threat alone could be sufficient: “It was absolutely indispensable to have a credible threat.” She added that the Venezuelan opposition is “ready to take over government,” backed by the military and police, claiming that “more than 80% of them are joining and will be part of this orderly transition as soon as it starts.”

Maduro has denied US drug-trafficking accusations, accusing Trump of “fabricating a new war.” Caracas called the US operations a violation of sovereignty and a coup attempt, reportedly seeking help from Russia, China, and Iran to strengthen its defenses.

Russia, which ratified a strategic partnership treaty with Venezuela on Monday, has condemned the US campaign.

Nobel Peace Prize 2025:

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wins

The Nobel Peace Prize winner who has recently been reported as effectively calling for a potential military attack or intervention on her own country is

María Corina Machado of Venezuela, the 2025 laureate.

Following the announcement of her award in October 2025, reports highlighted past and recent statements where Machado advocated for increased U.S. support and a stronger stance against the Nicolás Maduro government, which some critics interpret as a call for foreign military action.

Key points regarding her statements:

In an interview after receiving the prize, Machado called for greater U.S. help to "stop this war" that she claims Maduro is waging on the Venezuelan people.
She expressed gratitude for recent U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean targeting alleged drug trafficking boats, placing the blame for any associated deaths on the Maduro regime.
Machado has previously urged international bodies, like the Organization of American States (OAS), to authorize a multinational military intervention to overthrow the Maduro government.

Her position and past calls for foreign intervention have drawn criticism, with some commentators arguing that her stance is incompatible with the traditional role of a peace prize laureate and that it could legitimize further military escalation.

U.S. amassing 16,000 troops off Venezuelan coast

It is true that the

U.S.

has amassed approximately 16,000 troops and significant naval assets off the Venezuelan coast as part of an intensified military campaign against alleged "narcoterrorism" as of early November 2025. This represents the largest U.S. military presence in Latin America in decades.

Details of the Deployment

Troop Strength: News reports, including some citing The Washington Post, indicate a total deployment of around 16,000 military personnel in the region.
Naval Assets: The force includes a significant number of warships, such as the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and its accompanying strike group, guided-missile destroyers (like the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson), an attack submarine, and a special operations vessel.
Air Assets: The deployment is augmented by air power, including B-1B and B-52 bombers conducting flights in international airspace near Venezuela, F-35 fighter jets and MQ-9 Reaper drones stationed at a U.S. base in Puerto Rico, and P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft.
Location: The forces are operating in the Caribbean Sea, with some vessels reportedly within striking distance (around 124 miles) of the Venezuelan coastline.
Mission: The U.S. administration has publicly framed the mission as an enhanced counter-narcotics operation targeting transnational criminal organizations and the Cartel de los Soles within Venezuela's military hierarchy.