Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado , who won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, drew criticism over her past posts on X, supporting Israel's military action in Gaza and urging Argentina and Israel to "dismantle" the criminal Venezuelan regime.
In one of her posts in 2021, Machado had said that those who defend Western values stand with Israel, which she called a "genuine ally of freedom".
Three years back, in 2018, she requested the Israeli PM and the Argentinian president to use "their influence" to "advance the dismantling of the criminal Venezuelan regime".
"Today, all those who defend Western values stand with the State of Israel; a genuine ally of freedom," Machado posted on X in 2021 (then Twitter ).
According to several media reports, Machado had said that, if elected, she would move Venezuela’s embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“I believe and I can announce that our government will move our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem,” Machado told an Israeli channel.
“I promise one day, we’ll have a close relationship between Venezuela and Israel. That will be part of our support to the State of Israel,” she added.
In 2009, under Hugo Chavez, Venezuela severed diplomatic ties with Israel and expelled its ambassador in response to the 2008–2009 Gaza War.
"Today I am sending a letter to @mauriciomacri, President of Argentina, and to @netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, to ask them to use their strength and influence to advance the dismantling of the criminal Venezuelan regime, closely linked to drug trafficking and terrorism," she posted in 2018.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights and her struggle to achieve a transition to democracy, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
Machado had prompted millions of Venezuelans to reject President Nicolás Maduro in last year's election. The award also recognised the seasoned politician for being a “unifying figure” in the fractured opposition.
The award, however, is being granted at a time when opposition supporters are questioning her leadership, including her embrace of US president Donald Trump's Venezuela policy, which has seen Venezuelan migrants sent to an infamous prison in Central America and deadly US military strikes in the Caribbean.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute was able to reach Machado by telephone a few moments before the prize was announced to tell her she had been selected. "Oh, my God," she said in a video posted by the committee on social media. "Well, I have no words."
In her campaigns opposing the Venezuelan government, she has spent more than two decades building relationships in Washington, with Democrats and Republicans alike. In 2005, she was received in the White House by President George W. Bush, and she has been praised extensively by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and former Florida senator.
She argues, like Trump, that Maduro poses an enormous security threat to the region.
What is her background?
Maria Corina Machado, 58, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 7, 1967. She is an industrial engineer by training, and her father was a prominent businessman in Venezuela's steel industry. Her upper-class roots have made her a target of criticism from Venezuela's governing socialist party.
When did she go into hiding?
Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023 and her rallies attracted large crowds, but a ban from holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in an election in 2024 and she went into hiding.
The country's electoral authority and top court say Maduro won the election, though they have never published detailed tallies. Machado emerged from hiding to make a brief appearance during a protest before Maduro's inauguration in Jan. She was briefly arrested and then freed.
In one of her posts in 2021, Machado had said that those who defend Western values stand with Israel, which she called a "genuine ally of freedom".
Three years back, in 2018, she requested the Israeli PM and the Argentinian president to use "their influence" to "advance the dismantling of the criminal Venezuelan regime".
"Today, all those who defend Western values stand with the State of Israel; a genuine ally of freedom," Machado posted on X in 2021 (then Twitter ).
According to several media reports, Machado had said that, if elected, she would move Venezuela’s embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“I believe and I can announce that our government will move our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem,” Machado told an Israeli channel.
“I promise one day, we’ll have a close relationship between Venezuela and Israel. That will be part of our support to the State of Israel,” she added.
In 2009, under Hugo Chavez, Venezuela severed diplomatic ties with Israel and expelled its ambassador in response to the 2008–2009 Gaza War.
"Today I am sending a letter to @mauriciomacri, President of Argentina, and to @netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, to ask them to use their strength and influence to advance the dismantling of the criminal Venezuelan regime, closely linked to drug trafficking and terrorism," she posted in 2018.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights and her struggle to achieve a transition to democracy, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
Machado had prompted millions of Venezuelans to reject President Nicolás Maduro in last year's election. The award also recognised the seasoned politician for being a “unifying figure” in the fractured opposition.
The award, however, is being granted at a time when opposition supporters are questioning her leadership, including her embrace of US president Donald Trump's Venezuela policy, which has seen Venezuelan migrants sent to an infamous prison in Central America and deadly US military strikes in the Caribbean.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute was able to reach Machado by telephone a few moments before the prize was announced to tell her she had been selected. "Oh, my God," she said in a video posted by the committee on social media. "Well, I have no words."
In her campaigns opposing the Venezuelan government, she has spent more than two decades building relationships in Washington, with Democrats and Republicans alike. In 2005, she was received in the White House by President George W. Bush, and she has been praised extensively by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and former Florida senator.
She argues, like Trump, that Maduro poses an enormous security threat to the region.
What is her background?
Maria Corina Machado, 58, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 7, 1967. She is an industrial engineer by training, and her father was a prominent businessman in Venezuela's steel industry. Her upper-class roots have made her a target of criticism from Venezuela's governing socialist party.
When did she go into hiding?
Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023 and her rallies attracted large crowds, but a ban from holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in an election in 2024 and she went into hiding.
The country's electoral authority and top court say Maduro won the election, though they have never published detailed tallies. Machado emerged from hiding to make a brief appearance during a protest before Maduro's inauguration in Jan. She was briefly arrested and then freed.
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