Trump's Berlin Wall Moment?
Sarah Anderson : Jan 27, 2026
PJ Media
...There's also the actual release of political prisoners. For the last few weeks, it's been a slow trickle, but over the weekend, there was quite a jump. As of Monday morning, the human rights group Foro Penal has verified that 266 are no longer detained, and that number may be even higher—they are working to confirm. Still hundreds to go, but it's the best progress we've seen yet...
[PJMedia.com] Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been doing a lot of talking lately, and she's said some interesting things. First of all, she's talking to the president. Apparently, she and Donald Trump have been in touch in the almost two weeks following her trip to the White House, where she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize. He's confirmed that himself. And she's meeting with various bipartisan members of Congress and other important people in Washington, DC. (Image: Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok-US Government Work-Public)
She's also talking to the media, making Venezuela's case for the world, something she promised to do as soon as she escaped the country.
During a recent chat with the New York Post, Machado reiterated that bringing democracy back to her nation is her top priority. She also said that if Trump helps with that lofty goal, that it will help define his legacy. She called it a "Berlin Wall" moment, implying it will cement his place in history like the actual Berlin Wall did for Ronald Reagan.
"For the first time in history, you will have the Americas free of communism, dictatorship, and narcoterrorism," she said. Machado has long held the view that if the Nicolás Maduro falls, the dictatorships in Cuba and Nicaragua will follow.
But even she understands that this won't happen overnight. For now, she says that the "repression hasn't eased since Maduro's arrest—it has simply shifted."
"If Delcy Rodríguez stays, nothing truly changes," she said. "There will be no rule of law, no trust, no stability. Venezuelans will not come home under a criminal."
But she added that with a legitimate government, the transformation could happen almost overnight, "producing millions of barrels of oil a day, attracting billions in American investment, and reversing mass migration."
She pointed out that a transition away from the Maduro regime would make Trump's new version of the Monroe Doctrine permanent if it's done before 2029. "This can be done in three years, and I believe it will happen, and we have to take advantage of such a clear, strong, and courageous leadership as the president's."
She also claims that the remaining members of the Maduro regime only have "terror" keeping them afloat. She said that Rodríguez "designed the torture system," and it's the only tool left in their playbook post Maduro arrest. That's why the release of political prisoners—and ensuring that the regime stops arresting people for political reasons in the meantime—is a top priority.
We're already seeing tiny shifts. As I reported on Sunday, young people, especially college students, are casting their fears aside and standing arm-in-arm with the families of political prisoners, demanding their release. Machado mentioned that in her Post interview too.
Related: Did Trump Embolden Venezuela's Sleeping Giant?
There's also the actual release of political prisoners. For the last few weeks, it's been a slow trickle, but over the weekend, there was quite a jump. As of Monday morning, the human rights group Foro Penal has verified that 266 are no longer detained, and that number may be even higher—they are working to confirm. Still hundreds to go, but it's the best progress we've seen yet... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here
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