Venezuela’s Nobel Laureate Maria Machado is an impostor with no regard for Democracy

The Greek Courier

What is the truth about María Corina Machado Parisca and her treasonous right-wing party?

On 17 August 2024, large crowds in Caracas demonstrated in support of Nicolás Maduro and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which was declared the winner of the 28 July election. These events were largely ignored by the Western mainstream media, which instead spotlighted María Corina Machado, presenting her as the election's true victor. Today, Machado arrived in Oslo shortly after her daughter accepted this year’s Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf, despite a decade-long travel ban. Since last year, she has mainly been in hiding, only appearing briefly at a protest in January against Maduro’s swearing-in. So, what is the truth about María Corina Machado Parisca and her treasonous right-wing party?

What the Western media and the Nobel Committee refuse to show is the true nature of María Corina Machado. She is an ultra-conservative politician with ties to various far-right parties in the Western world. She appears to have little regard for democracy and instead prioritizes her connections with capitalist figures, including Donald Trump, and those who undermine political stability in Venezuela. Beneath her polished image and passionate rhetoric lies a political impostor echoing the extremism of historical fascists.

Born in Caracas on 7 October 1967, Machado has had strong ties with the U.S., having been welcomed to the Oval Office by President George W. Bush in 2005. The following year, she was praised by the conservative magazine National Review for her advocacy work. Her political career gained traction during the 2012 presidential election against Hugo Chávez. Still, she faced setbacks, including losing her seat in 2014 after serving as a Panamanian delegate to the Organization of American States (OAS), an act deemed unconstitutional in Venezuela. She has accused Maduro of transforming Venezuela into a “narco state”. Trump, based on her treasonous accusations, is using her as the Fifth phalanx to undermine Maduro, enforce regime change, to take control of the largest oil reserves of the entire planet. 

The impact of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela is often underreported by the U.S. press, which either overlooks their devastating effects or shifts blame onto Maduro as they did with Chávez. Right-wing violence against the Maduro government, particularly the violent opposition actions known as guarimbas, also remains largely unacknowledged, despite resulting in nearly 200 deaths and many more injuries during 2014 and 2017.

In 2019, Machado received the “Prize for Freedom” from Liberal International and this year, the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2019, amid the Venezuelan political crisis, she proposed a second presidential run contingent upon Juan Guaidó calling for new elections. However, Guaidó’s efforts, despite U.S. backing, ultimately failed.

Machado faced a significant setback on 30 June 2023 when Venezuela's Comptroller General disqualified her for fifteen years, a decision later confirmed by the Supreme Court. Following this, her presidential candidacy was transferred to Edmundo González Urrutia. Nonetheless, the four main opposition parties have rallied behind her.

Labelled the “Iron Lady,” Machado is a fierce opponent of chavismo and the Bolivarian Revolution, advocating for what she terms “popular capitalism”, a blend between Trumpian populism and fascism. She defines herself as a centrist liberal, rejecting the radical right-wing label assigned to her by left-leaning media. Yet, she supports U.S. and EU sanctions against the Venezuelan people and has called for foreign military intervention to remove Maduro, a stance viewed by many Venezuelans as treasonous. She also favors privatizing state-owned enterprises, particularly Venezuela's national oil company, PDVSA, and has declared intentions to seek financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) if elected. You need more?

Machado’s candidacy is intricately linked to U.S. interests; the Biden administration's support led to accusations of an orchestrated coup attempt. Furthermore, a criminal investigation has been opened against both Machado and González Urrutia for various alleged crimes, though only the Supreme Court can prosecute them.

Her connections extend to the far-right in Europe, particularly with Spain's Popular Party and the far-right Vox party. Machado has expressed a personal bond with the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal. This raises questions about how a centrist liberal, who rejects being labeled as radical right-wing, can have a special relationship with Abascal. Perhaps we should ask the many American and European newspapers that spread misinformation about her intentions. This unholy alliance is viewed as part of a broader reactionary movement emerging in both Europe and Latin America.