María Corina Machado Praises Demise of Armed Groups, Thanks Trump for Progress Toward Venezuelan Freedom

On Saturday, María Corina Machado expressed her approval of the beginning stages of disbanding armed groups and criminal organizations in Venezuela, including the notorious Tren de Aragua. She extended her gratitude to President Donald Trump for the strides made over the past six months, as noted in her post on X titled "Regarding the Events in the Guayana Mining Area."

The announcement coincided with Trump's declaration of the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias "Niño Guerrero," the top leader of the Tren de Aragua. This was the result of an operation by the U.S. Southern Command in collaboration with the Venezuelan government.

Machado pinpointed January 3, 2026, as a pivotal moment: "A new chapter in our extended journey to secure Venezuela's freedom began on January 3, thanks to President Trump's decisive actions and his administration."

This date is notable for the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, leading to his extradition to New York to face federal charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.

Since then, according to the opposition leader, "milestones once deemed unattainable" have been achieved: Maduro's departure to face justice, and the "gradual dismantling of partnerships and structures with Russia, Iran, China, Cuba, and others that contributed to Venezuela's plunder and devastation."

Machado also highlighted the release of political prisoners—both civilian and military—and the widening of civic space, allowing Venezuelans to "express themselves more freely," as media and civil society "begin to reclaim spaces taken from us over the years."

Recent Operations in Bolívar State

Regarding the recent military operations in the mining region of Bolívar state—where bombings and helicopter deployments by the FANB were reported between June 9 and 11 in Las Claritas and kilometer 88—Machado was unequivocal: "The human, social, ecological, and economic damage these criminal groups—born under the protection of chavismo and operating in collusion with the tyranny—have inflicted on Venezuela is immeasurable."

The Tren de Aragua originated in the Tocorón prison in Aragua state, where "Niño Guerrero"—sentenced in 2018 to 17 years—oversaw the syndicate's expansion to Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, and Europe, with the chavista regime's complicity.

The U.S. designated the Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2025, and the State Department offered a reward of up to $5 million for information on "Niño Guerrero" in July 2025.

On May 29, Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia signed a manifesto in Panama, stressing the dismantling of repressive apparatuses and illegal armed groups as a prerequisite for any political negotiation.

The opposition leader acknowledged the ongoing journey and called for civic action: "Every Venezuelan plays an irreplaceable role in this process: organizing within their communities, defending the truth, reporting the presence of criminal structures, and actively supporting the institutions we are slowly reclaiming."

Machado concluded her message with a phrase encapsulating her sentiment: "These accomplishments were unimaginable six months ago, and we therefore recognize and thank President Trump and his administration. With God's guidance, until the end."