Trump's Venezuela Raid Shines Light On Opposition Leader Machado's $1.7 Trillion Privatization Plan From Months Before Maduro's Arrest

The U.S. military operation in Venezuela has renewed global attention on opposition leader María Corina Machado's ambitious $1.7 trillion plan to privatize state assets, revive the country’s collapsed economy, and address what she called “the disaster this socialist system has wrought.”

Venezuela's Economic Collapse Fuels Machado’s Privatization Push

In October 2025, Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado outlined a sweeping economic blueprint aimed at undoing decades of socialist mismanagement, while speaking virtually at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh.

She had described Venezuela as "a country that used to be the richest… that has turned into one of the poorest," blaming corruption, repression, and failing state industries.

"Our economy has collapsed. It's been over 80% down in the last [several] years," Machado said. "Our people have been forced to flee just to survive."

She called for the privatization of more than 500 state-controlled enterprises, citing existing infrastructure as the foundation for rapid recovery

Machado emphasized transparency and the rule of law, promising fiscal incentives to attract global investment.

"Venezuela will be the single biggest economic opportunity for decades to come," she told Fortune, highlighting the country's vast oil and gas reserves and the potential return of its diaspora.

President Nicolas Maduro's regime was entrenched but weakened after U.S. strikes and international pressure, while Machado continues to campaign from hiding, calling him a "narco-terrorist stater" and accusing him of corruption, gold smuggling, and human rights abuses.

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Trump Captures Maduro As Venezuela Faces Unrest And Oil Stakes

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country after a "large-scale strike."

Venezuela's government condemned the attack as "grave military aggression," with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López calling it the worst in the nation's history. A state of emergency was subsequently declared across the country.

Former U.S. envoy Richard Haass said Trump’s decision to remove Maduro was likely driven more by access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves than by justice.

Haass noted that Trump repeatedly referenced the country's oil during a Mar-a-Lago press conference and said American companies would invest billions to restore its deteriorated oil infrastructure.

Following Maduro's capture, Venezuela experienced widespread unrest as his armed supporters took to the streets, prompting residents to stay indoors.

Caracas and other areas faced airstrikes that disrupted public services, while operational supermarkets reported long queues amid fears of renewed shortages.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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