Maria Corina Machado rallying in the streets of Caracas, Venezuela before the July 28 elections, encouraging people to vote for a change. photo by Matias Delacroix
Maria Corina Machado, the voice of a nation, is uniting Venezuela in a fight for freedom.
Freedom can be defined as “The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint” (Oxford Languages). For Venezuelans, this right was stripped away long ago; yet history follows patterns, and one that never fails is the people’s response to oppression. The American colonies rebelled against British rule, igniting the American Revolution. The French overthrew their monarchy, ending centuries of aristocratic rule. Even South America fought to liberate their nations from Spanish domination. These events did not occur purely by chance, but proved that when a leader acts against the interests of the very people who gave them power, they are destined, sooner or later, to be overthrown. This is proof that oppression can’t silence the people’s voice; it never has, it never will.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Simon Bolivar, are just a few examples of leaders who fought in pursuit of liberty and justice. Historically, men led these battles for liberation. These were men who defied empires, started revolutions, and rewrote the future of nations. Yet, since Hugo Chavez’s coup in 1992 and his eventual rise to power, Venezuela has been trapped in a cycle of authoritarianism, leading to one of the greatest humanitarian crises in modern history.
It would be a mistake to assume the Venezuelan people have not tried to fight for a better future. Time and time again, opposition leaders have risen, only to be exiled like Juan Guaido in 2023, imprisoned like Leopoldo Lopez, or silenced like Oscar Perez before they could truly make an impact. Even those without political power, young voices with nothing but hopes for a better future for everyone, have paid the ultimate price in the fight for freedom.
Take the case of Neomar Lander, a student who tragically lost his life at just 17 years old during the 2017 protests. “La lucha de pocos vale por el futuro de muchos,” he once said. “The fight of a few is worth the future of many.” Lander, like many others, refused to abandon their home, holding onto hope for change.
Time and time again, the people’s cries for freedom have been loud, but the dictatorship points their guns at a weaponless people who use cardboard shields and rocks to protect themselves against those soldiers who dishonor the words of Venezuela’s Libertador, Simon Bolivar, “Maldito sea el soldado que apunta al pueblo con su propia arma,” which means “damned be the soldier who aims at the people with his own weapon.”
Time and time again, the dictatorship seems to hold firmly to power, until now. Until now, after years of uncertainty, in what seems to be the light at the end of an endless tunnel, a new hope has emerged. Not just another name in a long line of men whose efforts were not enough. This time, a woman: Maria Corina Machado.
As the leading opposition candidate in Venezuela’s recent elections, Machado embodied the hopes of millions seeking change. However, in a blatant act of political suppression, Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship disqualified her from running, stripping the people, once again, of a fair electoral process. Yet, she refused to be defeated. Instead of stepping back, she threw her support behind Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, ensuring the opposition and the Venezuelan people remained united against the regime. Her resilience reinforced a critical truth: the fight for freedom does not depend on one individual, but on the collective will of a people who are determined to be free.
Machado’s plan was successful, despite the dictatorship’s attempts to hold onto power through corruption and electoral manipulation, Machado and her movement had planned ahead and exposed the fraudulent nature of the elections. The people of Venezuela spoke, rejecting the unconstitutional government in a powerful act of defiance. The real results, showing overwhelming support for the opposition, with validated acts proving a whopping 7,443,584 votes for Gonzalez Urrutia against only 3,385,155 votes supporting Maduro. The results directly show the growing resistance against Maduro’s rule, and Machado exposed them. The world has taken notice, and the calls for justice grow louder with each passing day.
Machado has become a symbol of fearless resistance against the oppressive regime of Maduro. Her relentless pursuit of democracy and what seems to be incorruptible will by staying in Venezuela despite Maduro’s direct threats has not only inspired millions within Venezuela but has also captured the attention of the world. Her unwavering courage and commitment to human rights have earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, a recognition of her tireless fight for peace in a nation plagued by political corruption and economic collapse.
This collapse forced approximately 7.7 million out of their homes. Many of these 7.7 million were uncertain about having enough food on the table for their family at dinner. These 7.7 million who had no other option than to escape because they feared for their own life. 7.7 million who often endure Xenophobia, dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries, who are often labeled as gang members or even terrorists. Venezuelans did not leave by choice, but because they come from one of the most dangerous, tyrannical countries in the world, experiencing the biggest exodus without a war in human history. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, revoked the extension of the TPS for Venezuelans. As of 2023, approximately 600,000 Venezuelans have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S. (Source: Department of Homeland Security).“They were going to be able to stay here and violate our laws for another 18 months,” she stated, as reported by the Associated Press.
It is devastating to hear a government official label an entire population as criminals based solely on nationality. It is devastating because I know we are not criminals. In fact, roughly 57% of Venezuelans residing in the U.S have a college degree. And, while there are gangs like TDA or Tren de Aragua making national headlines, their presence represents less than 0.28% of all Venezuelans in the U.S. Reality is, TDA is a security issue, but Venezuelans are not. I can’t help it, but I fear I could have the same fate as Neomar Lander, especially when I am approximately the age he was when he was assassinated fighting for his country. I can’t help it but fear that everything we were escaping from will come back to us, because U.S. officials claim we are not worthy of protection even when the 500,000 who are estimated to work contribute approximately 1.8 billion dollars annually in taxes, like many Americans, Venezuelans work their tails off just to try to get by, only in another language, and a completely different culture. But, trust me – if there was not a good reason to leave, millions of families would have never said goodbye to everything they ever knew, just to be discriminated against in countries in which they sought a better future. Today, all of us come together to support Machado, because if there is something Venezuelans do it’s fight, fight because fight for a change is all we can do.
The fight is far from over, but Machado has already made history. In a nation where hope has been repeatedly crushed, she has reawakened the belief that change is not just a dream but a possibility. As Venezuela stands on the brink of a new era, the world watches closely, hoping that this time, the long-awaited freedom will once and for all become a reality.
Venezuela’s hope is no longer a small whisper in the dark, it is a resounding cry, a collective force too powerful to be ignored. And at the heart of it stands Machado with the support of millions in Venezuela and millions more in exile wishing to one day return home. Maria Corina Machado has proven to the world that even in the face of tyranny, the voice of the people will not be silenced.
