Up First (NPR) – Special Bonus Episode

Title: Nobel Laureate Maria Corina Machado on Regime Change in Venezuela
Air Date: October 11, 2025
Host: Ayesha Rascoe
Guest: Maria Corina Machado, 2025 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Venezuelan Opposition Leader

Episode Overview

This special episode features an exclusive conversation with Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader recently awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Speaking from hiding due to threats from Venezuela’s ruling party, Machado discusses her motivation to stay in Venezuela, international involvement, the future of democracy in her country, and her hopes for both Venezuela and the greater Americas. The interview explores her vision for regime change, the role of international actors (especially the U.S.), and her message for individuals fighting for democracy globally.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reaction to Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

• Unanticipated Honor: Machado expresses her surprise and disbelief at winning the Nobel Prize.

  “Of course not. Absolutely not. I'm still in shock. I think it's still unbelievable.” (02:12, Machado)

2. Staying in Venezuela Despite Threats

• Commitment to Country: Machado chooses to remain in Venezuela, despite personal danger, out of a sense of duty to her people and belief that her presence is more impactful there.

  “I only conceived my life in freedom and in my country, in Venezuela… The main asset we've had during these long years is precisely the will of the people.” (02:35, Machado)

• The Power of Modern Communication: She leverages technology to stay connected with international audiences and advocates for Venezuelans' rights globally.

3. The 2024 Venezuelan Presidential Election & Mandate for Regime Change

• Ballots, Not Bullets: Machado argues the Venezuelan people's will was clearly expressed in the ballots, even with the unfair and fraudulent electoral conditions, and asserts an urgent mandate for regime change.

  "This is an issue. The main issue here is the will of the Venezuelan people. That was expressed using ballots, not bullets... We won because of the people. And now we will enforce this mandate of regime change very soon." (03:16, Machado)

4. Dedication of her Nobel Peace Prize

• To Venezuelans and Donald Trump: Machado controversially dedicates the prize both to Venezuelans and former President Trump, emphasizing his role in responding to conflicts in the Americas and promoting democracy.

  “I dedicate it to the people of Venezuela and President Trump because... for what he's doing right now for the Americas. Because this is not only about Venezuela... we will have the Americas free of communism and narco dictatorships.” (03:49, Machado)

5. U.S. Military Strikes on Boats Leaving Venezuela

• Linking Regime to Narcotrafficking: Machado claims the Venezuelan government has become a central channel for drug trafficking in the region, led by criminal networks at the state level.

  “Everybody knows that the cartel of Dos Soles is one of the main criminal structures in the world. Maduro is the head of that cartel.” (04:50, Machado)

• On U.S. Military Action: While sidestepping direct endorsement of military strikes, she stresses the need to “cut the flows of illegal criminal business.”

  “I believe that you need to cut the flows of illegal criminal business... we have been asking for years, the international community, to stop those flows.” (05:44, Machado)

6. On U.S. Intervention and the Path to Democracy

• Addressing Regime Change: Machado reframes the issue not as foreign intervention but as the execution of the Venezuelan people’s already-established will for transition to democracy.

  “Regime change was already mandated by the... people. On July 28, 2024, we won by a landslide… it is not regime change. What we're talking about is a transition to democracy.” (06:31, Machado)

• Vision for the Future: She claims Venezuela is already in chaos and asserts readiness for a peaceful, orderly transition, with confidence that millions will return to rebuild the country.

• On U.S. Military Action: Machado ties the ideas of peace, freedom, and the necessity of “strength when you are facing a criminal structure” (07:45, Machado), but avoids directly calling for military intervention.

7. Evaluating Trump as an Ally & U.S. Policies

• Mixed Record: Pressed on Trump’s ambivalent policies regarding Venezuelan refugees and continued business ties, Machado expresses confidence in his administration’s stance toward security threats from Maduro’s regime.

  “I have no doubt President Trump has been clear in his message regarding the national security of the United States and the security of the Americas as a whole... this is a win-win situation.” (08:21, Machado)

• Economic Opportunity: She argues regime change would open immense investment opportunities and expedite the return of Venezuelan migrants.

8. Message to Ordinary Citizens on Defending Democracy

• Empowering Individuals: Machado calls on average citizens to embrace their responsibilities and the civic duty required to protect democracy, drawing lessons from Venezuelan society’s resilience.

  “The people is not an abstract concept. It's made by millions of conscious citizens that understand that citizenship has to do with rights and duties.” (10:04, Machado)

• Legacy of the Struggle: She emphasizes the generation’s unique appreciation for freedom and expects this hard-won experience to strengthen Venezuela’s future institutions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Freedom and Presence:

  “I only conceived my life in freedom and in my country, in Venezuela.” (02:35, Machado)

• On the Interconnected Fight for Democracy:

  “Once Maduro goes and we liberate our country, the Cuban regime will follow, the Nicaraguan regime will follow... for the first time in history, we will have the Americas free of communism and narco dictatorships.” (03:49, Machado)

• On International Drug Cartels and State Capture:

  “Maduro is the head of that cartel and they have taken over of the state. The cartel has taken control of everything.” (04:50, Machado)

• On the Role of Every Citizen:

  “The people is not an abstract concept. It's made by millions of conscious citizens...” (10:04, Machado)

• On the Cost and Value of Freedom:

  “We will achieve freedom with a huge, huge cost, great pain. But there's no other generation in the history of Venezuela that values freedom... as we do.” (10:38, Machado)

Key Timestamps

• [02:12] – Machado reacts to the Nobel Peace Prize news
• [02:35] – Why she stays in Venezuela despite personal danger
• [03:16] – The mandate from the people and the idea of regime change
• [03:49] – Dedication of Nobel Prize and implications for Latin America
• [04:50] – On Venezuela's ties to drug cartels and U.S. military action
• [06:31] – The distinction between regime change and democratic transition
• [07:45] – On military intervention, peace, and freedom
• [08:21] – The Trump administration’s stance and U.S.-Venezuela relations
• [10:04] – Machado's message to citizens about protecting democracy

Summary

In this urgent, intimate interview, Maria Corina Machado lays out a stark portrayal of contemporary Venezuela—a nation beset by authoritarianism, yet powered by civic courage, as exemplified by her own leadership and the people's electoral actions. She frames Venezuela’s struggle as pivotal for the entire Americas, connects the fight for freedom to international security concerns, and balances hope for a peaceful democratic transition with pragmatic calls for external strength and solidarity. Throughout, she repeatedly returns to the central role of ordinary citizens in securing and sustaining freedom—not just in Venezuela, but everywhere democracy is threatened.