Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the leading figure of Venezuela’s democratic opposition, issued a direct appeal last night to security forces loyal to Nicolás Maduro as tensions with the US continue to escalate.
In a recorded message, Machado called on soldiers to “put down your weapons” and refuse orders to repress civilians, warning that the regime’s grip is slipping. Her address comes amid growing domestic unrest and international pressure on Caracas following its latest provocations.
Machado declared that “the hour of reckoning is near,” emphasizing that events already underway will determine the country’s future and urging security personnel not to stand against the Venezuelan people.
The message reflects a sense of mounting urgency inside Venezuela, where Maduro’s regime faces unprecedented internal dissent alongside growing American resolve to counter its destabilizing moves in the region.