President Donald Trump said the leader of the Venezuelan opposition doesn’t have the “respect” of the country to govern following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n
The U.S. led a series of strikes in the South American country early Saturday, eventually capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and taking them to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism charges.<\/p>\n
Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado celebrated the operation and capture in a statement, calling it the “hour of freedom.”<\/p>\n
“As of today, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against the Venezuelan people and against citizens of many other nations. In light of his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the Government of the United States has fulfilled its promise to uphold the rule of law,” Machado said.<\/p>\n
Trump, who said he has not been in contact with Machado, said during a press conference on Saturday that he doesn’t believe she can assume the leadership role in Venezuela.<\/p>\n
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
![\"Edmundo](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/2d16c585-1764-4ce2-aa16-a042cd8a8d0e\/machado-gty-jt-260103_1767459333726_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Edmundo")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>Maria Corina Machado, laureate of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, speaks during a news conference in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 11, 2025.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lars Martin Hunstad\/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Trump also announced the U.S. will “run the country” as it transitions into new leadership.<\/p>\n “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. “And it has to be judicious, because that’s what we’re all about. We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela.”<\/p>\n Venezuelans react to Maduro’s ousting<\/strong><\/p>\n Political analyst Liz Alarc\u00f3n, with expertise in Latin America and U.S. Latinos, rejected the notion that Machado doesn’t have the respect of the country during an appearance on ABC News Live.<\/p>\n When asked if there is a chance for Machado to run the country, Alarc\u00f3n replied, “That is exactly what exists already.”<\/p>\n “What we want to see is, of course, the support of the entire international community, including the United States, to oust an illegitimate leader like Nicol\u00e1s Maduro from the country … but we also want our will as Venezuelans inside and outside of the country to be respected,” she said.<\/p>\n Alarc\u00f3n said that will includes Venezuela being run by leaders such as Machado or Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia, who ran against Maduro in the election last July.<\/p>\n In her statement, Machado called on the military to recognize Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia as the rightful president of Venezuela.<\/p>\n In this June 10, 2025 file photo, Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez speaks during the event ‘Venezuela, Memory and Justice’, at the European Parliament headquarters in Madrid, Spain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Europa Press News\/Europa Press via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Independent exit polls showed Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia received two-thirds of the votes, and the U.S. said “overwhelming evidence” supported his victory, but Maduro claimed he won the election and did not cede power.<\/p>\n ABC News’ Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz told “Good Morning America Weekend<\/a>” that it’s unclear how the military will respond to the ousting of Maduro and that the U.S. is keeping an eye on the situation.<\/p>\n “Today, we are ready to enforce our mandate and to take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the Democratic Transition is achieved — a transition that requires each and every one of us.” Machado said.<\/p>\n Alarc\u00f3n told ABC News Live that many Venezuelans are celebrating the downfall of Maduro but want to make sure his regime isn’t replaced by a similar one.<\/p>\n This includes not installing any of Maduro’s allies who are still in Venezuela or another figure who doesn’t respect the “democratic will of the Venezuelan people,” she explained.<\/p>\n People celebrate at the Bolivar square in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Luis Acosta\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “What I would like to see is for those still in power in Venezuela to receive guarantees, to exit peacefully, and to give way to the liberty that so many Venezuelans here in Doral, where I live… were screaming and chanting and wanting and that means liberty from everyone and to see the country governed by those who we elected,” she said.<\/p>\n![\"European](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/57f986b5-0308-4f3a-ad12-aeee2a414a52\/urrutia-gty-jt-260103_1767459480564_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"European")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>![\"Gio](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1fc1c871-3fc8-463a-b7e4-bda886d9f375\/venezuela-12-gty-gmh-260103_1767462159884_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Gio")
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![\"Luis\"](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/ab7a476a-ceef-4a17-91be-8d1b4a416839\/venezuela-vp-rt-jt-260103_1767455473970_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Luis\\"")
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