Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado issued her first public statement after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, declaring that the country is ready to govern itself and asserting that Venezuela “will be free”.

Speaking after Maduro was taken into United States custody, Machado said the moment had arrived for democratic sovereignty to be restored.

Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said Maduro will face justice for what she described as grave crimes committed against Venezuelans.

She called on citizens inside the country and across the Venezuelan diaspora to remain united, organized, and prepared to assume responsibility during what she described as a historic transition.

She named Edmundo González Urrutia as the rightful leader of Venezuela, saying he must immediately receive the constitutional mandate to govern.

Machado stated that González, the opposition’s right-wing candidate in the July two thousand twenty-four election, was chosen by Venezuelan voters and should be recognized as commander in chief of the armed forces by all officers and soldiers.

In her address, Machado emphasized national reconciliation, the release of political prisoners, the restoration of public order, and the return of millions of Venezuelans who fled the country during years of repression and economic collapse.

She framed the current moment as the result of years of sacrifice by citizens who risked everything to defend democracy.

Machado urged Venezuelans abroad to mobilize governments and civil societies worldwide in support of rebuilding the country, describing the coming period as critical for securing international backing for a peaceful transition.

She said official guidance would follow through her movement’s established channels.

The declaration positions the opposition as ready to take power following Maduro’s removal and sets the stage for a contested but defining transition in Venezuela’s modern history.