María Corina Machado

1. Visit with U.S. Soldiers Wounded in the Maduro Raid Senator Ted Cruz visits three U.S. soldiers wounded during a raid intended to arrest Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. All soldiers are recovering in stable condition and none suffered life‑threatening injuries. One soldier helped plan and lead the raid and continued fighting after being shot. Two soldiers requested keepsakes from their injuries (a bullet and shrapnel ), which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth approved as a morale gesture. Emphasis on: Heroism and discipline of U.S. forces No American fatalities despite being outnumbered Significant Cuban forces defending Maduro were reportedly killed 2. Symbolism and Morale Soldiers and their families (wives present) showed strong morale and faith . Soldiers expressed eagerness to return to duty. A former commanding officer expressed regret at missing the mission, reinforcing camaraderie and pride. 3. Meeting with Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado Cruz met with Maria Corina Machado , Venezuelan opposition leader now living in exile in the United States. Machado: Previously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Met with President Donald Trump at the White House Symbolically presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize as gratitude for U.S. support 4. Political Situation in Venezuela Widespread celebration in Venezuela following Maduro’s removal. Some political prisoners released , though still monitored. Current acting leadership (Delcy Rodríguez) is described as illegitimate and a continuation of the Maduro regime. Machado strongly advocates for: Free and fair elections A swift election timeline (Cruz suggests within six months) 5. Bipartisan Senate Meeting Machado met with about a dozen U.S. senators , including Republicans and Democrats. Cruz praises her decision to pursue bipartisan unity instead of partisan attacks. Unity from the U.S. is portrayed as critical for Venezuela’s democratic transition. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2F%40VerdictwithTedCruz%2F&data=05%7C02%7CRobertoDiaz%40iheartmedia.com%7Cd55f297ce8824f6f31a808dddbf7fab7%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638908580290122821%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW

This week, we're honored to be joined by Venezuela's "Iron Lady" — Maria Corina Machado. She's been physically assaulted, forced into hiding, and separated from her children, but that hasn't stopped her from standing up to dictators and fighting for liberty. Right now, she believes the end of Nicolas Maduro's regime is closer than it's ever been, and a bright new future for Venezuela — and the entire region — is in sight. In the early 2000s, Maria set aside her business and career aspirations to lead a recall against Hugo Chavez, quickly earning a reputation as his "most detested adversary." She went on to serve as an elected member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014, becoming a key leader in the widespread 2014 protests against Maduro. Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, she won her party's primary elections, but was disqualified and forced out by Maduro and his cronies. Still, her opposition party went on to win overwhelmingly, and Maduro has since rejected the results and refused to relinquish power. We begin with the tragic downfall of Venezuela, from the wealthiest country in South America to poorer than Haiti. Learn how socialism brought one of the world's most energy rich countries to its knees, and instead became the criminal hub of Latin America, flooding the U.S. with drugs and narco terrorism while providing safe harbor to Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other enemies. President Trump has taken strong actions in recent months, from placing a $50 million bounty on Maduro to designating cartels as terrorist organizations and directing the U.S. military to go after them — we get Maria's take on the President's policies and what else she hopes to see from our leaders in Washington. Many Americans are rightfully wary of foreign interventions; Maria explains why she doesn't see it as regime change but rather dismantling an international criminal enterprise. Finally, we cover Maria's personal journey and sacrifice, why she continues to fight even with threats against her life, and her ultimate vision for a free and prosperous Venezuela that becomes an energy powerhouse for the Americas. 00:00 Episode intro 02:30 How Venezuela became a criminal hub 09:45 What's the right US policy? Regime change? 16:24 Parallels between Chavez & the far-left in the U.S. 22:17 Maria's personal story & sacrifice 26:36 Maria’s vision for a free Venezuela This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.joelonsdale.com

Today on the show, Fareed is joined by a Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado for an exclusive interview to discuss the fallout from her country’s contested election, and why she is still hopeful for Venezuela’s future despite the threats she says she and her allies are facing from Maduro’s regime. Then, the Middle East is on edge as the region braces for a possible retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah following the recent assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. Staff writer for the New York Times Magazine Ronen Bergman tells Fareed about the mood within Israel, and the increasing desire for a ceasefire among the Israeli defense establishment. Next, Maha Yahya, director at the Carnegie Middle East Center, speaks with Fareed about fears of a wider war in the Middle East. She discusses the view from Lebanon, and the hopes for a deal that she says could deescalate the entire region. Then, the Atlantic’s Derek Thompson joins the show to tell Fareed about the role that gender is likely to play in the US presidential election. He argues it will be a central factor, but not in the way that you might expect. Finally, Charles Duhigg speaks with Fareed about his book “Supercommunicators,” and gives some practical tips for building relationships and having healthier conversations. GUESTS: María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA), Ronen Bergman (@ronenbergman), Maha Yahya (@mahamyahya), Derek Thompson (@DKThomp), Charles Duhigg (@cduhigg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices