BOGOTA, Colombia — On Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado called on Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro to take decisive action by acknowledging her faction’s victory in the disputed presidential election held in July. 
 
Machado delivered her message during a virtual session of the Colombian Senate, aiming to intensify global pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to exit his position by January. She emphasized the urgency of President Petro’s response, stating, “To the Government of Colombia, especially President Petro: It is time for decisions.” She expressed that remaining silent is no longer an acceptable response to the situation unfolding in Venezuela and asserted the inevitability of a government transition. Machado expressed the willingness of her faction to engage in a constructive negotiation with the Colombian administration, which respects the sovereignty demonstrated by Venezuelans in the July elections.
 
For around two months, Machado has been out of the public eye, fearing potential arrest. Following the electoral process, authorities loyal to the ruling party quickly declared Maduro the victor, yet did not provide a detailed breakdown of the results, citing a website hack as the reason for withholding information typically shared after such events. Contrarily, the opposition coalition that Machado heads obtained voting records from over 80% of the electronic machines nationwide, which they subsequently made public. During her speech to Colombian lawmakers, she highlighted the evidence that showed opposition candidate Edmundo González defeating Maduro decisively, urging their support in facilitating a governmental transition.
 
“I ask you, honorable senators, to be the guarantors of our victory and to elevate the voices of those enduring severe oppression,” she stated, sharing instances of government repression post-election, including the detention and alleged abuse of numerous minors. The next presidential term in Venezuela is set to commence on January 10.
 
In the aftermath of the election results, President Petro, alongside Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, all of whom share leftist ideologies and maintain a friendly relationship with Maduro, reached out to mediate the election crisis; however, their intervention proved fruitless. Since then, Maduro has strengthened his grip on power by reshuffling his cabinet and arresting over 2,000 dissenters. Meanwhile, González has taken refuge in Spain since September after facing an arrest warrant related to the dissemination of vote tally sheets online.
 
Machado further warned of the likely repercussions of Maduro retaining power on Colombia, stating, “there will be no peace in Colombia” under Maduro’s reign, as he has turned Venezuela into a “sanctuary for criminal guerrilla operations” that stem from Colombia. A significant aspect of President Petro’s agenda since taking office in 2022 has been pursuing peace agreements with the National Liberation Army and Segunda Marquetalia rebel groups that operate near the Colombian-Venezuelan border. Although Maduro’s government had agreed to act as a guarantor in these peace talks, negotiations with the National Liberation Army hit a blockade earlier this year.