January 6, 2026 • 29 mins
Hour 3 features Sean’s full interview with Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s democratic opposition leader, as she describes the dangers still facing dissidents and journalists, and her plan to return to Venezuela during a fragile transition period. Machado lays out her vision for restoring rule of law, reopening markets, rebuilding institutions, and turning Venezuela from a criminal hub into a strategic ally and energy engine for the Americas. Sean presses on practical risks during the transition — including loyalists, gangs, and instability — and what comes next for free and fair elections.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, news round up and information overload hour. Here's
(00:02):
our toll free telephone number. If you want to be
a part of the program, it's eight hundred and ninety
four one sean if you want to join us. In
a minute, we will be joined by Venezuela's leader of
the Democratic Opposition, Maria Corrino Machado. Just as a reminder
of her background, her history, it was only twenty twenty
(00:23):
three she as the opposition party leader, won that primary
with more than ninety two percent of the vote, an
overwhelming popular mandate became a symbol of Venezuela's Democratic opposition.
Maduro then banned her from the ballot, despite striking a
deal with the Biden administration for reduced sanctions in exchange
(00:46):
for free and fair elections. They were anything but free,
they were anything but fair, And despite this fact, she
remained the opposition leader, and she stayed on the ground
and stayed in Venezuela great risk to her own personal life.
In the meantime, her key ally at Mundo Gonzales, ran
(01:07):
in her place. But those elections, nobody recognizes them as legitimate,
or free or fair by any measure. The more widely
accepted results show that the opposition won by nearly forty points.
And anyway, then she was given, if you recall, the
(01:27):
Nobel Peace Prize in twenty twenty five, and that was
announced in October of twenty twenty five. The ceremony took
place December tenth, twenty twenty five, and she was on
this program December seventeenth of last year before I went
on my long vacation of the year, and following the
announcement that she had won the Nobel Peace Prize, she said, today,
(01:48):
more than ever, we count on President Trump and the
people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America,
the democratic nations of the world as our principal all
eyes to achieve freedom and democracy. I dedicate this prize
to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump
for his decisive support of our cause. And anyway, she
(02:13):
joins us now and her plan is to return as
soon as possible to Venezuela. She you know, has she
basically knew if she went back there that her life
would be in jeopardy. Anyway, Maria uh Coarina Machado, it's
great to have you back. Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Oh, thank you, Sean, thank you on behalf of all
the Venezuelan people. You have been a great supported supporter
of our cause for democracy, for freedom, for dignities, for families,
and for turning Venezuela from you know, a criminal hub
on a real threat to the whole hemisphere into a
true ally of the people, of the good people of
(02:55):
our of our nation and our nations throughout the America.
So thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
You said on x the hour of freedom has arrived.
Now with that there is a temporary period of time
here where obviously the United States is going to keep
the country stable until such time as they're able to
have free and fair elections. I would imagine you will
(03:24):
be back and hopefully running. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Absolutely? And I convey to to all the people that
are least in us right now what this moment represents.
This is a milestone in Venezuelan history, and I would
go further, I would say, into the history of the Americas.
For over twenty seven years, Venezuela has been under a
brutal dictatorship that has turned a country that used to
(03:50):
be one of the most wealthy and more free and
secure into a country that is poor, than Haitia. Our people,
a third of our population have been forced to flee
shan to survive, to survive, to send food back to
your children. I mean today eighty six percent of Anazon
(04:14):
people living poverty. And we have the largest oil reserves
in the world. And why because there's a socialist, criminal,
narco terrorist regime that has turned the country into the
safe heaven for all the enemies of the Americas, saying
the Russian, Uranian, the Cubans, the Hezbola and Hamas terrorists,
(04:41):
Islamic groups, the drug cartels that operating partnership with Madudo,
with Delsi Rodriguez, and with these, you know, the creeds
of the regimes that have intentionally destroyed Venezuela and destabilized region,
(05:02):
use our huge resources to destabilize the region, including the
United States. So what happened last Saturday and July third,
I believe that that day will go down in history
as the day justice truned over tyranny, and President Trump
will be recognized in history, in history through generations to come,
(05:28):
as the leader who was able to do what many
said was impossible to achieve, which is dismantled this criminal
structure that has brought so much pain, not only to
Venezuela but to the whole hemisphere.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the entire world.
You surpassed Saudi Arabia, which is number two, by a
significant amount. I know the oil needs a lot of refinery.
American companies have helped since the nineteen twenties build out
a lot of that oil infrastructure. The energy secretaries meeting
(06:07):
now with all of the energy producers in this country
in the hopes of getting online the vast resources which
will help the Venezuelan people. It will take some time
to get there, but that that is obviously the goal,
and I think the President rightly is focusing in on Okay,
(06:30):
we've got to start producing this oil so the people
of Venezuela will be the beneficiaries of it, as will
do the companies that were robbed blind when they nationalized
all the oil companies.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Absolutely, this is going to be a wind seituention solution,
and not only in oil and gas. As you say,
Venezuela has vast gas reserves and the largest oil reserves
in the world, but also minerals, rare minerals, infrastructure, technology, electricity.
(07:07):
In a world that needs for AI and technology, energy supply.
Venezuela has the cheapest and cleanest supply in the region
and we are only three hours away from Florida. I mean,
Venezuela has, you know, an enormous potential. But in order
to transform these resources into wealth, certainly you need investment,
(07:33):
huge investments. But you need to have security, you need
to have rule of law, you need to have infrastructure,
and you need to have people, people that are trained,
people that are responsible, that are freedom lovers. And that's
precisely what Venezuela has. But Venezuela needs not rule of
law today. Imagine Sean Venezuela is in the last place worldwide,
(07:58):
of one hundred forty two countries that have been evaluated
by the Justice in this project. Globally, Venezuela is in
the last place. Who is going to invest in a
country where property rights are not respected, where you don't
have an independent judiciary. But that's precisely what we're going
to bring. We're going to privatize what Travis and Ladudo
(08:22):
took over. We're going to open market. We're going to
have reduce taxes and make it super attractive and super
competitive regarding the physical conditions, and we're going to introduce
protection for an external international investment. But most of all,
we're going to have our people, that nine million people
(08:44):
that were forced to flee and that have been trained,
that have been learning, studying, investing abroad coming back home.
And it's going, you know, we're going to turn Venezuela
from this criminal hub, from the sanctuary of all these
criminal networks that have you know, installed in the heart
(09:05):
of the Americas. Were going to turn it into the
energy hub of the Americas and the strongest ally the
US has ever had in our region. Now.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Trans I don't want to be pollyannosh about all of this,
but transitions such as you're describing, I believe it is
beyond possible. I think it will become a reality. I'm
very optimistic for the people of Venezuela, for you and
for your country. Uh, the amount of wealth available for
the people is beyond comprehension. People don't don't really fully
(09:41):
understand how much how much how much wealth can be
produced in your country. Transitions though like this, are very
very difficult. You have Maduro loyalists, you have Trende or Ragua,
you have Narco terrorists, You know their entire you know,
uh livelihood is now going to be disrupted and there
(10:04):
will be I assume hiccups and difficulties during this transition.
What do you foresee?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's absolutely true. We do not underestimate the challenges and
complexities because during twenty seven years, Venezuela has been destroyed,
not only our economy, not only all the private sectors,
not only forcing people to flee our institutions, there's no justice,
no education. Also the way our territory has been given
(10:35):
a way to international and foreign criminal groups. So we
do not underestimate the challenges ahead. But and I do
understand that for American people, you know, regime change and
transitions to democracy create concerns because of the experiences of
(10:55):
the past. But bet I ask you to think of
the profound difference that Venezuela has compared to Middle East countries.
On one hand, we have a democratic culture. We had
fifty years of democracy in which Venezuela was an example
to the whole region. Secondly, we have a cohesive, united population.
(11:17):
We have no religious tensions of social or polinical and
is ninety percent of the population want the same I
mean we won by a landslide with seventy percent of
the vote a year ago. With you know, extreme fraudulent,
unfair conditions. Today, with three unfair conditions and elections, we
(11:38):
would win with over ninety percent of the vote shown.
And this is you know, a united country. We want
our children back home. We want to live in a
free country. We want justice and opportunities and to speak
out and live with dignities. And third, we have a
legitimized leadership that has you know, very strong support in
(12:01):
the population, including the armed forces. You know, recently, a
couple of months ago, a poll was carried out by
the top brand of the military within the Armed forces,
and over seventy percent said they supported me. They wouldn't
make that public, of course, but they didn't get the information,
leaked the information to us. So you know, there are
(12:22):
certain groups, yes, that are violent. We're seeing them operating
in the last hours surrounding Tratas. These gangs that are
armed and are threatening the people. They detained fourteen the
journalists yesterday. They have been threatening everyone who speaks out.
They stop people in the streets and they searched their phones.
(12:45):
Did they see a picture or the name of President
Trump or my name, they would be detained. Yesterday they
issue an executive degree or it was published. Supposedly it
was signed by Madudo on sat. That day he was attained,
in which the executive decreases that anybody, anybody that supports
(13:07):
President Trump's actions will be immediately detained and that we disappeared.
So we are living very tough days. We do not
underestimate the capacity of these groups to promote instability, but
I want to be absolutely firmed in this. We have
(13:28):
the teams ready, we know what we need to do,
and with the you know, support of the US government
and President Trump, we will move into an orderly and
sustainable transition to democracy in Venezuela.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
With eighty six percent of Venezuelans living in poverty in
what should be one of the richest countries on Earth.
I can only imagine that there is a sigh of
relief that Maduro is gone. But there are his you know,
loyal and holdovers and narco terres and trende ragua that
(14:03):
probably want to intimidate them, and their goal will be
very different. I'm going to take a break here, but
on the other side, if you can stay a few
more minutes, I want to talk about your return. I
want to talk about your safety upon your return, because
I would imagine that there are enemies of yours that
(14:24):
do not want you to return. But anyway, we'll continue.
We'll have more with the leader of Venezuela's Democratic Opposition,
Maria Carino Maschado on the other side. We'll get to
your calls coming up also eight hundred nine to four one, Shawn,
if you want to be a part of the program,
all right, we continue with Venezuelan's Democratic Opposition leader Maria
(14:45):
Carino Mushado is with us this, you know obviously now.
One are the things I admire the most about you,
and we've known you now for a long time, and
we're we're cheering for you, we're cheering for your country,
but I'm also worried about your safety and your security. Now,
what most people don't know is, even after Maduro did
(15:09):
all these horrible things to you, and you won the
primary with ninety two percent of the vote, and then
he took you off the ballot because he didn't want
to run against you, and that was in twenty twenty three,
you stayed in Venezuela and you stayed until you went
to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. You've not been back since,
and you're planning on going back. Do you have a plan,
(15:32):
Do you have security forces that you know you can trust.
I don't want to wake up one day or be
doing this radio show or my TV show and have
breaking news that God forbid something happens to you, because
I would imagine Maduro loyalist trende Aragua people and Narco
terrorists probably don't want you to return.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Well, certainly, certainly, and they have threatened me for many years,
and my family and my friends. I have my closest
colleagues in prison right now. It had people do not
understand the degree of terror Madudo and Delsi Rodriguez and
Josalo Caregio has put on our population. I mean, there
(16:19):
are over ninety detention centers. Many of them are you know,
hidden places, torture centers in which even young women have
been sexually assaulted and and and they have used them
in exchange for the possibility to take a bath or
to see their moms. Children have been detained, young teenagers
(16:43):
have tried to commit suicide in the last months because
they are human conditions. And so this is this is horrible.
We we know the risk we face, and that's why
we have insisted that the first step in any transition
has to be the liberation of the political prisoners. And
(17:04):
that's why I'm so grateful to President Trump. He mentioned
that today he insisted that the main torture center in Venezuela,
which is the biggest in Latin America, should be dismantled.
And that's that's a great message that believes me, Micheon.
It reaches our people in prison, It reaches their mothers,
(17:27):
their wives, their children. So we need to stop repression.
Any transition starts to dismantle the repression apparatus, which is
directed by Delsi Rodriguez, who is the person in power
right now. She's the architect of the older torture system.
She's the one who gives orders to you know, damage, kill,
(17:50):
disappeared innocent journalists, workers, housewives, students, teachers, nurses, nurses, just
because they have denounced the horrible situation of our hospitals.
So I want to thank President Trump. This is the
main step. Certainly, I realize there is huge risk in
going back to Venezuela, but I will go back as
(18:13):
soon as possible, as I As I told you before,
I believe my responsibility is to be where I'm more
useful to this cost. That's why I stayed in Plandesmity
hidden over sixteen months. That's why I decided to go
out of Venezuela with high risk as well, and that's
(18:34):
why to speak to the world, to be able to
speak with you as I'm speaking right now, to meet
people that are truly decisive or great alias champions of
this cost around the world, to see the Venezuana I
asked for, and also to meet to good people of
other nationalities that share our cost and understand what Venezuela
(18:54):
means not only for our nation, our people, but also
for other people in the America. Today, the United States
is a safer place, a safer country after what President
Trump did on Saturday, and this is something that history
will recognize. So we need to move forward. This means
we need to take risks. Yes, we're willing to do
(19:17):
what it takes. And I just want to tell you
how much I trust the Venezuelan people shown we have
proven courage, resilient discipline, and love profound love for family,
for children, for a country, and for freedom. And what
we are doing will have huge impact not only in
(19:38):
our country but in the whole Americas. And these are
decisive moments that require courage, ambition, and that's precisely what
President Trump has demonstrated. We've heard so many times that
it was impossible to get where we are. People told
me it's impossible to carry out a primary organized ideal society.
(20:00):
It's impossible to defeat Maduro and in a presidential election,
you know, totally fraudulent. It's impossible to get him out
of the country and to make him face the justice.
And President Trump made it possible. So now when people
say it's impossible to carry out a peaceful transition, I
just say, wait and see. You will see Venezuelans and
(20:23):
President Trump doing what people said impossible, making it a reality.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Are you confident that you will have a large enough
loyal security entourage that can protect you upon your return
to Venezuela, Because as I said, there's evil everywhere. I mean,
they tried to kill President Trump, not once but twice
here I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
And certainly in order to do that we need a
support of the United States government. Certainly because it's a minority.
As I said.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Before this ore, you know gangs that have been highly
armed and financed by the regime repression apparatus by DeLisi Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
And jos Alo Cavejo and others. Who are the ones
who direct these criminal groups, but is an absolute minority ones.
We liberate the armed forces. And I know this is
hard to understand, but the armed forces are also under repression,
are also persecuted. There are hundreds of military that have
been disappeared, tortured, and even killed because there are loyal
(21:35):
citizens to democracy and the constitution. But once we are
able to liberate the armed forces, we will be able
to dismantle these groups and take control progressively of allbans
own territory. We know what it has to be done.
We have the teams, we have the plans. We know
we will get great advice and support from our main allies,
(21:57):
especially mainly the United States of America that understands the
great opportunity this means for the security of the hemisphere.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
You said to me on television last night that you
want to meet with President Trump and give him your
Nobel Peace Prize. I've never heard of that before. Do
you have any plans to meet with the President, And
hopefully I would assume that's going to happen. Are there
any plan scheduled now? And do you still plan on
(22:28):
giving him that Nobel Peace Prize?
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Oh? Absolutely. Look, we've gone so far because we have
stuck always to the truth, even when it's uncomfortable and
when it's not politically correct, but it is the truth
and it's just. And if there's someone who deserves to
get credit for what's going on in Venezuela right now
(22:53):
is precisely President Trump. We wouldn't be here at the
thirst hold of freedom if he hadn't made this courageous
and decisive action, a flowless operation, I have to say, impressive, historic,
and the Venisulan people that are the ones honored are
the ones who deserved to be recognized. Also share my
(23:15):
view that present from deserves to be honored because we
wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his decisive action.
And I not only look forward to being able to
tell him this personally, but I also look forward to
the moment in which I will host him in a
free Venezuela and he will hear from Venaissuans all around
(23:37):
the country how they, you know, recognize and how we
think what this has meant not only to change our history,
and we will see millions coming back to Venezuela. Imagine that, Sean.
They want to come back. They want to come back,
and we need them back. And these are people that
have you know, invested, studied, learn work or hard all
(24:01):
around the world. And hundreds of thousands are in the
United States. But they want to come back. So you know,
I always tell them. I used to stand at the
Semone Believer Bridge that is in the border with Columbia,
and I saw thousands living in tears. Now I'll be
standing there with my arms open bringing, you know, receiving
(24:24):
them back, welcoming them back to a luminous future. And
that will be thanks to what President Trump decided to
act and do. And history history will you know make
make justice as well. And and and those who didn't
act before for witness will face and we'll understand what
(24:47):
you know, courage means. And also I went to insist
that once we live right, Venezuela, Cuba and Nika Agua
will follow the same path and for the first time
in history, we will have the hemispheared, the Americas, free
of communism, free of dictatorship, free of narco terrorism for
(25:09):
the first time in history.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I would be negligent if I didn't bring up that
you and a fellow opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, you put
out a statement to Lake and Riley's family and other
American families that have been impacted by vicious crimes by
(25:32):
the street gang Trenda Arragua, and that you promised to
offer reparations. And in a letter to Riley's family, you
said Lacan's life, full of potential and promise, was tragically
cut short by an individual who never should have been
allowed to cross your border. And you know, you said
this was a direct consequence of Nicholas Maduro's regime, which
(25:54):
fostered an environment where criminal organizations like Trenda Ragua can
flourish with impunity. I thought that was an extraordinarily powerful
letter and moment and recognition on your part. And you know, again,
the president rightly is very focused on getting the economy
(26:15):
of Venezuela up and running, because in lesson, until that happens,
people remain in poverty and starving and desperate and and
and desperate people sometimes do desperate things. And the quicker
that's accomplished, the better.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
It's going to be absolutely and the only way you
can dismantle these criminal groups is to have an approach
from within the country and with the support of the
information intelligence technology we get from our allies abroad. But
remember it wasn't Collahmaduro, it was Delta Rodriguez, it was
(26:51):
Josearo Cavejo. The ones who turned trend are from a
local group into transnational network. That their intention was to
under you know, score the the institutions in the whole inmistry,
from the United States to Chile. I mean, the President
of Chile actually denounced Joco as being, you know, the
(27:14):
intellectual author of the crime committed in Santiago, CHILESI the
trend that out. So the proof is there. So you know,
we we we are felt so profoundly hurt with these
crimes that these individuals committed, and they will be brought
to justice. And we will be sure that anyone who
(27:36):
committed a crime against somebody abroad Venezuela, other nationality, but
also within Venezuela will face justice and we will bring
no order that that's the only way you can have
prosperity and peace.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Maria Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela's democratic opposition. I know
I speak for everyone in this audience. It is the
natural state of mankind to desire liberty and freedom, and
you are courageously fighting hard for that for the people
of Venezuela. This is a window of opportunity. It is perilous,
it is dangerous, and your courage is inspiring. I know
(28:16):
I speak for so many. Our prayers, our love, our
support are with you, your country, your fellow country men,
and we pray for your safe return. And we look
forward to hopefully interviewing you in Venezuela in the years
to come, as you now begin hopefully a new chapter
of prosperity for you and your people. That is our
(28:37):
prayer for you, that is our prayer for the people
of Venezuela.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Amen. Thank you, Sean. God bless you, God bless us all,
God bless America, God bless Venezuela, Godless President Trump. And
I'm sure we'll be able to host you in a Venezuela.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Thank you very much, well, appreciate your time. Thank you
so much for being with us. All Right, that's gonna
wrap things up for today. We've got a great Hannity tonight.
Nine Eastern on the Fox News Channel, Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham,
Mike Walls, also the son of the Shaw of Iran,
will join us as well. We also have Kevin Cork,
(29:16):
Comrade Deblasio defending well very strange policies of Commi Mamdani,
Tom Holman, Tommy Larren nine Eastern Tonight on Fox. See
you then back here tomorrow. Thank you for making this
show possible.
All right, news round up and information overload hour. Here's
(00:02):
our toll free telephone number. If you want to be
a part of the program, it's eight hundred and ninety
four one sean if you want to join us. In
a minute, we will be joined by Venezuela's leader of
the Democratic Opposition, Maria Corrino Machado. Just as a reminder
of her background, her history, it was only twenty twenty
(00:23):
three she as the opposition party leader, won that primary
with more than ninety two percent of the vote, an
overwhelming popular mandate became a symbol of Venezuela's Democratic opposition.
Maduro then banned her from the ballot, despite striking a
deal with the Biden administration for reduced sanctions in exchange
(00:46):
for free and fair elections. They were anything but free,
they were anything but fair, And despite this fact, she
remained the opposition leader, and she stayed on the ground
and stayed in Venezuela great risk to her own personal life.
In the meantime, her key ally at Mundo Gonzales, ran
(01:07):
in her place. But those elections, nobody recognizes them as legitimate,
or free or fair by any measure. The more widely
accepted results show that the opposition won by nearly forty points.
And anyway, then she was given, if you recall, the
(01:27):
Nobel Peace Prize in twenty twenty five, and that was
announced in October of twenty twenty five. The ceremony took
place December tenth, twenty twenty five, and she was on
this program December seventeenth of last year before I went
on my long vacation of the year, and following the
announcement that she had won the Nobel Peace Prize, she said, today,
(01:48):
more than ever, we count on President Trump and the
people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America,
the democratic nations of the world as our principal all
eyes to achieve freedom and democracy. I dedicate this prize
to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump
for his decisive support of our cause. And anyway, she
(02:13):
joins us now and her plan is to return as
soon as possible to Venezuela. She you know, has she
basically knew if she went back there that her life
would be in jeopardy. Anyway, Maria uh Coarina Machado, it's
great to have you back. Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Oh, thank you, Sean, thank you on behalf of all
the Venezuelan people. You have been a great supported supporter
of our cause for democracy, for freedom, for dignities, for families,
and for turning Venezuela from you know, a criminal hub
on a real threat to the whole hemisphere into a
true ally of the people, of the good people of
(02:55):
our of our nation and our nations throughout the America.
So thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
You said on x the hour of freedom has arrived.
Now with that there is a temporary period of time
here where obviously the United States is going to keep
the country stable until such time as they're able to
have free and fair elections. I would imagine you will
(03:24):
be back and hopefully running. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Absolutely? And I convey to to all the people that
are least in us right now what this moment represents.
This is a milestone in Venezuelan history, and I would
go further, I would say, into the history of the Americas.
For over twenty seven years, Venezuela has been under a
brutal dictatorship that has turned a country that used to
(03:50):
be one of the most wealthy and more free and
secure into a country that is poor, than Haitia. Our people,
a third of our population have been forced to flee
shan to survive, to survive, to send food back to
your children. I mean today eighty six percent of Anazon
(04:14):
people living poverty. And we have the largest oil reserves
in the world. And why because there's a socialist, criminal,
narco terrorist regime that has turned the country into the
safe heaven for all the enemies of the Americas, saying
the Russian, Uranian, the Cubans, the Hezbola and Hamas terrorists,
(04:41):
Islamic groups, the drug cartels that operating partnership with Madudo,
with Delsi Rodriguez, and with these, you know, the creeds
of the regimes that have intentionally destroyed Venezuela and destabilized region,
(05:02):
use our huge resources to destabilize the region, including the
United States. So what happened last Saturday and July third,
I believe that that day will go down in history
as the day justice truned over tyranny, and President Trump
will be recognized in history, in history through generations to come,
(05:28):
as the leader who was able to do what many
said was impossible to achieve, which is dismantled this criminal
structure that has brought so much pain, not only to
Venezuela but to the whole hemisphere.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the entire world.
You surpassed Saudi Arabia, which is number two, by a
significant amount. I know the oil needs a lot of refinery.
American companies have helped since the nineteen twenties build out
a lot of that oil infrastructure. The energy secretaries meeting
(06:07):
now with all of the energy producers in this country
in the hopes of getting online the vast resources which
will help the Venezuelan people. It will take some time
to get there, but that that is obviously the goal,
and I think the President rightly is focusing in on Okay,
(06:30):
we've got to start producing this oil so the people
of Venezuela will be the beneficiaries of it, as will
do the companies that were robbed blind when they nationalized
all the oil companies.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Absolutely, this is going to be a wind seituention solution,
and not only in oil and gas. As you say,
Venezuela has vast gas reserves and the largest oil reserves
in the world, but also minerals, rare minerals, infrastructure, technology, electricity.
(07:07):
In a world that needs for AI and technology, energy supply.
Venezuela has the cheapest and cleanest supply in the region
and we are only three hours away from Florida. I mean,
Venezuela has, you know, an enormous potential. But in order
to transform these resources into wealth, certainly you need investment,
(07:33):
huge investments. But you need to have security, you need
to have rule of law, you need to have infrastructure,
and you need to have people, people that are trained,
people that are responsible, that are freedom lovers. And that's
precisely what Venezuela has. But Venezuela needs not rule of
law today. Imagine Sean Venezuela is in the last place worldwide,
(07:58):
of one hundred forty two countries that have been evaluated
by the Justice in this project. Globally, Venezuela is in
the last place. Who is going to invest in a
country where property rights are not respected, where you don't
have an independent judiciary. But that's precisely what we're going
to bring. We're going to privatize what Travis and Ladudo
(08:22):
took over. We're going to open market. We're going to
have reduce taxes and make it super attractive and super
competitive regarding the physical conditions, and we're going to introduce
protection for an external international investment. But most of all,
we're going to have our people, that nine million people
(08:44):
that were forced to flee and that have been trained,
that have been learning, studying, investing abroad coming back home.
And it's going, you know, we're going to turn Venezuela
from this criminal hub, from the sanctuary of all these
criminal networks that have you know, installed in the heart
(09:05):
of the Americas. Were going to turn it into the
energy hub of the Americas and the strongest ally the
US has ever had in our region. Now.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Trans I don't want to be pollyannosh about all of this,
but transitions such as you're describing, I believe it is
beyond possible. I think it will become a reality. I'm
very optimistic for the people of Venezuela, for you and
for your country. Uh, the amount of wealth available for
the people is beyond comprehension. People don't don't really fully
(09:41):
understand how much how much how much wealth can be
produced in your country. Transitions though like this, are very
very difficult. You have Maduro loyalists, you have Trende or Ragua,
you have Narco terrorists, You know their entire you know,
uh livelihood is now going to be disrupted and there
(10:04):
will be I assume hiccups and difficulties during this transition.
What do you foresee?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's absolutely true. We do not underestimate the challenges and
complexities because during twenty seven years, Venezuela has been destroyed,
not only our economy, not only all the private sectors,
not only forcing people to flee our institutions, there's no justice,
no education. Also the way our territory has been given
(10:35):
a way to international and foreign criminal groups. So we
do not underestimate the challenges ahead. But and I do
understand that for American people, you know, regime change and
transitions to democracy create concerns because of the experiences of
(10:55):
the past. But bet I ask you to think of
the profound difference that Venezuela has compared to Middle East countries.
On one hand, we have a democratic culture. We had
fifty years of democracy in which Venezuela was an example
to the whole region. Secondly, we have a cohesive, united population.
(11:17):
We have no religious tensions of social or polinical and
is ninety percent of the population want the same I
mean we won by a landslide with seventy percent of
the vote a year ago. With you know, extreme fraudulent,
unfair conditions. Today, with three unfair conditions and elections, we
(11:38):
would win with over ninety percent of the vote shown.
And this is you know, a united country. We want
our children back home. We want to live in a
free country. We want justice and opportunities and to speak
out and live with dignities. And third, we have a
legitimized leadership that has you know, very strong support in
(12:01):
the population, including the armed forces. You know, recently, a
couple of months ago, a poll was carried out by
the top brand of the military within the Armed forces,
and over seventy percent said they supported me. They wouldn't
make that public, of course, but they didn't get the information,
leaked the information to us. So you know, there are
(12:22):
certain groups, yes, that are violent. We're seeing them operating
in the last hours surrounding Tratas. These gangs that are
armed and are threatening the people. They detained fourteen the
journalists yesterday. They have been threatening everyone who speaks out.
They stop people in the streets and they searched their phones.
(12:45):
Did they see a picture or the name of President
Trump or my name, they would be detained. Yesterday they
issue an executive degree or it was published. Supposedly it
was signed by Madudo on sat. That day he was attained,
in which the executive decreases that anybody, anybody that supports
(13:07):
President Trump's actions will be immediately detained and that we disappeared.
So we are living very tough days. We do not
underestimate the capacity of these groups to promote instability, but
I want to be absolutely firmed in this. We have
(13:28):
the teams ready, we know what we need to do,
and with the you know, support of the US government
and President Trump, we will move into an orderly and
sustainable transition to democracy in Venezuela.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
With eighty six percent of Venezuelans living in poverty in
what should be one of the richest countries on Earth.
I can only imagine that there is a sigh of
relief that Maduro is gone. But there are his you know,
loyal and holdovers and narco terres and trende ragua that
(14:03):
probably want to intimidate them, and their goal will be
very different. I'm going to take a break here, but
on the other side, if you can stay a few
more minutes, I want to talk about your return. I
want to talk about your safety upon your return, because
I would imagine that there are enemies of yours that
(14:24):
do not want you to return. But anyway, we'll continue.
We'll have more with the leader of Venezuela's Democratic Opposition,
Maria Carino Maschado on the other side. We'll get to
your calls coming up also eight hundred nine to four one, Shawn,
if you want to be a part of the program,
all right, we continue with Venezuelan's Democratic Opposition leader Maria
(14:45):
Carino Mushado is with us this, you know obviously now.
One are the things I admire the most about you,
and we've known you now for a long time, and
we're we're cheering for you, we're cheering for your country,
but I'm also worried about your safety and your security. Now,
what most people don't know is, even after Maduro did
(15:09):
all these horrible things to you, and you won the
primary with ninety two percent of the vote, and then
he took you off the ballot because he didn't want
to run against you, and that was in twenty twenty three,
you stayed in Venezuela and you stayed until you went
to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. You've not been back since,
and you're planning on going back. Do you have a plan,
(15:32):
Do you have security forces that you know you can trust.
I don't want to wake up one day or be
doing this radio show or my TV show and have
breaking news that God forbid something happens to you, because
I would imagine Maduro loyalist trende Aragua people and Narco
terrorists probably don't want you to return.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Well, certainly, certainly, and they have threatened me for many years,
and my family and my friends. I have my closest
colleagues in prison right now. It had people do not
understand the degree of terror Madudo and Delsi Rodriguez and
Josalo Caregio has put on our population. I mean, there
(16:19):
are over ninety detention centers. Many of them are you know,
hidden places, torture centers in which even young women have
been sexually assaulted and and and they have used them
in exchange for the possibility to take a bath or
to see their moms. Children have been detained, young teenagers
(16:43):
have tried to commit suicide in the last months because
they are human conditions. And so this is this is horrible.
We we know the risk we face, and that's why
we have insisted that the first step in any transition
has to be the liberation of the political prisoners. And
(17:04):
that's why I'm so grateful to President Trump. He mentioned
that today he insisted that the main torture center in Venezuela,
which is the biggest in Latin America, should be dismantled.
And that's that's a great message that believes me, Micheon.
It reaches our people in prison, It reaches their mothers,
(17:27):
their wives, their children. So we need to stop repression.
Any transition starts to dismantle the repression apparatus, which is
directed by Delsi Rodriguez, who is the person in power
right now. She's the architect of the older torture system.
She's the one who gives orders to you know, damage, kill,
(17:50):
disappeared innocent journalists, workers, housewives, students, teachers, nurses, nurses, just
because they have denounced the horrible situation of our hospitals.
So I want to thank President Trump. This is the
main step. Certainly, I realize there is huge risk in
going back to Venezuela, but I will go back as
(18:13):
soon as possible, as I As I told you before,
I believe my responsibility is to be where I'm more
useful to this cost. That's why I stayed in Plandesmity
hidden over sixteen months. That's why I decided to go
out of Venezuela with high risk as well, and that's
(18:34):
why to speak to the world, to be able to
speak with you as I'm speaking right now, to meet
people that are truly decisive or great alias champions of
this cost around the world, to see the Venezuana I
asked for, and also to meet to good people of
other nationalities that share our cost and understand what Venezuela
(18:54):
means not only for our nation, our people, but also
for other people in the America. Today, the United States
is a safer place, a safer country after what President
Trump did on Saturday, and this is something that history
will recognize. So we need to move forward. This means
we need to take risks. Yes, we're willing to do
(19:17):
what it takes. And I just want to tell you
how much I trust the Venezuelan people shown we have
proven courage, resilient discipline, and love profound love for family,
for children, for a country, and for freedom. And what
we are doing will have huge impact not only in
(19:38):
our country but in the whole Americas. And these are
decisive moments that require courage, ambition, and that's precisely what
President Trump has demonstrated. We've heard so many times that
it was impossible to get where we are. People told
me it's impossible to carry out a primary organized ideal society.
(20:00):
It's impossible to defeat Maduro and in a presidential election,
you know, totally fraudulent. It's impossible to get him out
of the country and to make him face the justice.
And President Trump made it possible. So now when people
say it's impossible to carry out a peaceful transition, I
just say, wait and see. You will see Venezuelans and
(20:23):
President Trump doing what people said impossible, making it a reality.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Are you confident that you will have a large enough
loyal security entourage that can protect you upon your return
to Venezuela, Because as I said, there's evil everywhere. I mean,
they tried to kill President Trump, not once but twice
here I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
And certainly in order to do that we need a
support of the United States government. Certainly because it's a minority.
As I said.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Before this ore, you know gangs that have been highly
armed and financed by the regime repression apparatus by DeLisi Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
And jos Alo Cavejo and others. Who are the ones
who direct these criminal groups, but is an absolute minority ones.
We liberate the armed forces. And I know this is
hard to understand, but the armed forces are also under repression,
are also persecuted. There are hundreds of military that have
been disappeared, tortured, and even killed because there are loyal
(21:35):
citizens to democracy and the constitution. But once we are
able to liberate the armed forces, we will be able
to dismantle these groups and take control progressively of allbans
own territory. We know what it has to be done.
We have the teams, we have the plans. We know
we will get great advice and support from our main allies,
(21:57):
especially mainly the United States of America that understands the
great opportunity this means for the security of the hemisphere.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
You said to me on television last night that you
want to meet with President Trump and give him your
Nobel Peace Prize. I've never heard of that before. Do
you have any plans to meet with the President, And
hopefully I would assume that's going to happen. Are there
any plan scheduled now? And do you still plan on
(22:28):
giving him that Nobel Peace Prize?
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Oh? Absolutely. Look, we've gone so far because we have
stuck always to the truth, even when it's uncomfortable and
when it's not politically correct, but it is the truth
and it's just. And if there's someone who deserves to
get credit for what's going on in Venezuela right now
(22:53):
is precisely President Trump. We wouldn't be here at the
thirst hold of freedom if he hadn't made this courageous
and decisive action, a flowless operation, I have to say, impressive, historic,
and the Venisulan people that are the ones honored are
the ones who deserved to be recognized. Also share my
(23:15):
view that present from deserves to be honored because we
wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his decisive action.
And I not only look forward to being able to
tell him this personally, but I also look forward to
the moment in which I will host him in a
free Venezuela and he will hear from Venaissuans all around
(23:37):
the country how they, you know, recognize and how we
think what this has meant not only to change our history,
and we will see millions coming back to Venezuela. Imagine that, Sean.
They want to come back. They want to come back,
and we need them back. And these are people that
have you know, invested, studied, learn work or hard all
(24:01):
around the world. And hundreds of thousands are in the
United States. But they want to come back. So you know,
I always tell them. I used to stand at the
Semone Believer Bridge that is in the border with Columbia,
and I saw thousands living in tears. Now I'll be
standing there with my arms open bringing, you know, receiving
(24:24):
them back, welcoming them back to a luminous future. And
that will be thanks to what President Trump decided to
act and do. And history history will you know make
make justice as well. And and and those who didn't
act before for witness will face and we'll understand what
(24:47):
you know, courage means. And also I went to insist
that once we live right, Venezuela, Cuba and Nika Agua
will follow the same path and for the first time
in history, we will have the hemispheared, the Americas, free
of communism, free of dictatorship, free of narco terrorism for
(25:09):
the first time in history.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I would be negligent if I didn't bring up that
you and a fellow opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, you put
out a statement to Lake and Riley's family and other
American families that have been impacted by vicious crimes by
(25:32):
the street gang Trenda Arragua, and that you promised to
offer reparations. And in a letter to Riley's family, you
said Lacan's life, full of potential and promise, was tragically
cut short by an individual who never should have been
allowed to cross your border. And you know, you said
this was a direct consequence of Nicholas Maduro's regime, which
(25:54):
fostered an environment where criminal organizations like Trenda Ragua can
flourish with impunity. I thought that was an extraordinarily powerful
letter and moment and recognition on your part. And you know, again,
the president rightly is very focused on getting the economy
(26:15):
of Venezuela up and running, because in lesson, until that happens,
people remain in poverty and starving and desperate and and
and desperate people sometimes do desperate things. And the quicker
that's accomplished, the better.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
It's going to be absolutely and the only way you
can dismantle these criminal groups is to have an approach
from within the country and with the support of the
information intelligence technology we get from our allies abroad. But
remember it wasn't Collahmaduro, it was Delta Rodriguez, it was
(26:51):
Josearo Cavejo. The ones who turned trend are from a
local group into transnational network. That their intention was to
under you know, score the the institutions in the whole inmistry,
from the United States to Chile. I mean, the President
of Chile actually denounced Joco as being, you know, the
(27:14):
intellectual author of the crime committed in Santiago, CHILESI the
trend that out. So the proof is there. So you know,
we we we are felt so profoundly hurt with these
crimes that these individuals committed, and they will be brought
to justice. And we will be sure that anyone who
(27:36):
committed a crime against somebody abroad Venezuela, other nationality, but
also within Venezuela will face justice and we will bring
no order that that's the only way you can have
prosperity and peace.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Maria Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela's democratic opposition. I know
I speak for everyone in this audience. It is the
natural state of mankind to desire liberty and freedom, and
you are courageously fighting hard for that for the people
of Venezuela. This is a window of opportunity. It is perilous,
it is dangerous, and your courage is inspiring. I know
(28:16):
I speak for so many. Our prayers, our love, our
support are with you, your country, your fellow country men,
and we pray for your safe return. And we look
forward to hopefully interviewing you in Venezuela in the years
to come, as you now begin hopefully a new chapter
of prosperity for you and your people. That is our
(28:37):
prayer for you, that is our prayer for the people
of Venezuela.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Amen. Thank you, Sean. God bless you, God bless us all,
God bless America, God bless Venezuela, Godless President Trump. And
I'm sure we'll be able to host you in a Venezuela.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Thank you very much, well, appreciate your time. Thank you
so much for being with us. All Right, that's gonna
wrap things up for today. We've got a great Hannity tonight.
Nine Eastern on the Fox News Channel, Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham,
Mike Walls, also the son of the Shaw of Iran,
will join us as well. We also have Kevin Cork,
(29:16):
Comrade Deblasio defending well very strange policies of Commi Mamdani,
Tom Holman, Tommy Larren nine Eastern Tonight on Fox. See
you then back here tomorrow. Thank you for making this
show possible.
The Sean Hannity Show News
Host
Sean Hannity
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