Exiled Activist On Venezuela's Future And Relevance Of Nobel Laureate Machado

Jorge Galicia, an exiled Venezuelan who has spent years touring US colleges, warning young people about the dangers of socialism, has hailed US President Donald Trump's actions against Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro. Trump rattled the world by attacking Caracas and grabbing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are now being detained in New York.

"The Trump administration is quite pragmatic. President Trump is doing the right thing," Galicia told NDTV while talking about the US leader's approach in Venezuela.

The 29-year-old was a student political activist involved in liberty-minded campus groups in Venezuela. Maduro's crackdown on dissenting voices made him go into hiding and flee to the US in 2018. 

"I am glad to know Maduro was rooted out. I am really excited to see such a change," Galicia said.

Maduro, 63, faces charges that accuse him of providing support to major drug trafficking groups, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang.

The Venezuelan activist recalled how he faced political persecution in Venezuela under Maduro's regime. "The agents of the Maduro government took my friend away. I had to go into hiding before leaving the country," he said. 

He, however, warned that not much will change in Venezuela under the acting president, Delcy Rodriguez. 

Despite Maduro's ouster, his government remains in power in Caracas, and top officials have remained defiant. 

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who has taken over as interim leader, has said Maduro remains president and has contradicted Trump's claim that she is willing to work with the United States. Rodriguez, who also serves as oil minister, has long been considered the most pragmatic member of Maduro's inner circle. 

"Delcy Rodriguez should be imprisoned. I am not sure if it is safe for exiled leaders to return, as agents of the Maduro government are patrolling the streets. The interim government doesn't want people to mobilise," Galicia said. 

The United States has deemed Maduro an illegitimate dictator since he declared victory in a 2018 election marred by allegations of massive irregularities. But Trump has dismissed the idea of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado  taking over, saying she lacks support.'

When asked if Machado can play a significant role in the formation of the new government in Venezuela, Galicia noted that the Nobel laureate doesn't enjoy support in the current power structure of the South American nation. 

"Machado has been sidelined a bit. Not the right time for her to return," he said. 

Machado was banned from the 2024 election but has said her ally Edmundo Gonzalez has a mandate to take the presidency, and some international observers say he overwhelmingly won that vote.