Maria Machado Supports Israel and Attacks Iran After Winning the Nobel Peace Prize
In a move that sparked widespread reactions on both political and diplomatic fronts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced yesterday, Friday, that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025, expressed her strong support for Israel during a phone call with Netanyahu.
According to the statement issued by Netanyahu's office, Machado welcomed the return of Israeli hostages as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and expressed her appreciation for Israel's efforts in confronting Iran, describing Tehran as "a common threat to both Israel and Venezuela."
During the call, Netanyahu congratulated Machado on receiving the Nobel Prize, praising her efforts to promote the values of democracy and peace.
It is noteworthy that Netanyahu was among those who nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the same award earlier.
* A Pro-Israel Stance ... and an Expected Diplomatic Step
This was not the first time Maria Corina Machado showed pro-Israel tendencies;
she had previously pledged to move the Venezuelan embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem if she came to power, joining leaders from Latin America who have taken similar stances, such as Argentine President Javier Milei and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Most countries around the world keep their embassies in Tel Aviv, while Palestinians demand East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, making any move to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem internationally controversial.
* A Sharp Confrontation with the Venezuelan Government
Machado's actions come in stark contrast to the current Venezuelan government's policy, which maintains strong relations with Iran and countries hostile to Israel.
The opposition leader has been seeking to strengthen her ties with the Jewish state for years, as part of her liberal vision for foreign policy and the economy.
In a fierce response to her Nobel Prize win, the current Venezuelan president described her as a "satanic witch," in a new escalation of personal and political attacks against her main rival in the country.
* Who is Maria Corina Machado?
Maria Corina Pariska Machado was born on October 7, 1967, in the capital Caracas, to an affluent family belonging to the elite in the steel sector.
She grew up in a privileged environment and studied at prestigious private institutions, graduating as an industrial engineer from the Andrés Bello Catholic University in 1989, and later specializing in finance at a graduate institute.
Before entering the political arena, Machado built a successful career in the business sector, leveraging her technical background and experience in the private sector to develop her liberal economic vision, based on supporting free markets and rejecting excessive government intervention.
In her personal life, she was married to businessman Ricardo Sosa Branger from 1990 to 2001, and they have three children: Ana Corina, Ricardo, and Henrique.
For about a decade, she has been in a stable relationship with lawyer Gerardo Fernandez, but she chose to keep her family life away from the spotlight and focus on her political activities.
* Official Silence
So far, there has been no official comment from Machado's spokesperson regarding the details of the call with Netanyahu or her response to the criticisms directed at her by her country's government.
