Venezuelan Opposition Leader Calls for More Western Action Against Maduro

Maria Corina Machado urges more decisive action from the U.S. against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Despite being barred from elections, she remains a popular opposition figure and calls for sanctions and the dismantling of criminal networks linked to Maduro's government, which denies election irregularities.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has called for increased action from the United States against President Nicolas Maduro, criticising the current enforcement of sanctions and the handling of alleged criminal networks tied to the government.

Despite being prohibited from running in the 2024 presidential race, Machado continues to be a leading figure among the opposition, claiming to have won last year's election. This assertion is denied by Maduro's administration, which still withholds comprehensive election results.

In a Zoom interview with Reuters, Machado labelled Venezuela, under Maduro's rule, as a hemispheric security concern for the U.S. and emphasized the need for international legal intervention. Maduro's government, however, condemns sanctions as an 'economic war', despite the U.S. having already imposed numerous sanctions and revoked Chevron's operational license in the country.

(With inputs from agencies.)