Maria Corina Machado & Norwegian PM on Venezuela's Democracy

Welcome and Nobel Significance

• 💡 Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre extended a warm welcome to Maria Corina Machado, emphasizing the Nobel Peace Prize's significance in linking democracy to freedom and peace.
• 🎯 The PM highlighted Venezuela's situation under an authoritarian regime waging war on its people, causing millions of refugees and injustice, asserting that peace requires democracy and respected elections.
• 🔑 Machado's presence in Oslo, despite threats and a travel ban, was seen as a powerful symbol of civilian courage and a reminder that hope, courage, and love can outlast repression.

Vision for Venezuela

• ✨ Machado expressed her strong hope for a free Venezuela, envisioning it as a beacon of hope, opportunity, and democracy.
• 🌱 She believes that true peace is enabled by democracy, which in turn requires individual freedom and conscious decisions, driven by the love of millions of Venezuelans for their country and children.
• 🚀 Venezuela aims to become an energy, technological, and democracy hub of the Americas, with admiration for Norway's institutions serving as an example.

Venezuela's Current State & External Influence

• ⚠️ Machado asserted that Venezuela has already been "invaded" by totalitarian regimes like Russia, Iran, and Cuba, and criminal groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, drug cartels, and Colombian guerrillas.
• 🚨 These external forces have transformed Venezuela into a "criminal hub of the Americas," with the regime sustained by a powerful repression system funded by illegal activities such as drug trafficking, black market oil, and human trafficking.
• 💬 She shared the dire conditions, noting that Venezuelan children attend public schools only twice a week because teachers earn $1 a day.

Call for International Action

• 🛠️ Machado urged the international community to cut off financial flows that support the regime's repression and illegal activities.
• ✅ She supported actions like the US Coast Guard's seizure of a crude tanker, viewing such steps as necessary to weaken the regime and bring about change.
• 🤝 Both Machado and PM Støre affirmed Norway's readiness to support a democratic Venezuela in building new and sound institutions, recognizing the importance of both internal and external efforts.

Future Plans and Institutional Reform

• 📌 Machado confirmed her intention to return to Venezuela regardless of the current regime's status, emphasizing the ongoing organization of a citizen movement for transition.
• 📊 She outlined plans for rebuilding devastated institutions across all sectors, including security, justice, economy, public accounts, education, and health, with a focus on immediate relief and long-term transformation.
• 💪 The goal is to create a country where Venezuelans can live with dignity, justice, and freedom, with the people actively involved and co-responsible in the rebuilding process.