Nobel Peace Prize recipient Machado pledges to return to Venezuela, sees 'alarming' internal crackdown

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has vowed to return to Venezuela "as soon as possible" following America's capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro, warning that the current regime is escalating an internal crackdown on dissent and journalists. Speaking to "Hannity" on Monday, Machado said the moment is now right for her return after spending more than a year in hiding. She secretly escaped Venezuela last month and traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she dedicated to President Donald Trump . "Well, first of all, I’m planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible," Machado said. TRUMP ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO Venezuela'S NEW LEADER Delcy Rodríguez FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE "As I’ve always said, Sean, every day I make a decision where I am more useful for our cause. That’s why I stayed in hiding for over 16 months, and that’s why I decided to go out, because I believed that at this moment I’m more useful to our cause, being able to speak out from where I’m at right now. But I’m going to go as soon possible back home." Machado said developments in the past 24 hours have been deeply concerning, pointing to what she described as a sweeping executive order signed by Maduro on the same day he was captured and flown out of the country by U.S. forces. "What we’re seeing right now in the last 24 hours is really alarming," she said. Machado said the order mandates the persecution of Venezuelans who support Trump’s actions and claimed at least 14 journalists have been detained. A state of emergency decree issued Saturday, but published Monday, orders police to "immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the United States," the text of the decree reads, according to Reuters. She said the situation must be closely monitored by the United States and the Venezuelan people, arguing that the transition away from Maduro must continue. BONDI SAYS TRUMP 'SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES' IN VENEZUELAN DICTATOR MADURO CAPTURE OPERATION "So this is very alarming. This is something that has to be followed carefully, I’m sure, by the United States government and by the Venezuelan people," she said. "And certainly we believe that this transition should move forward." Machado also sharply criticized Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, calling her unfit to lead any transitional authority. Rodríguez, who has been vice president under Maduro since 2018, was sworn in as interim president on Monday. "Delcy Rodriguez, as you know, is one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, narco trafficking," Machado said. "She’s the main ally and liaison with Russia, China, Iran, certainly not an individual that could be trusted by international investors. And she’s really rejected, repudiated by the Venezuelan people." Machado’s comments came just two days after the Trump administration announced that U.S. forces had captured the dictator and his wife, Cilia Flores, after successful "large-scale" military strikes targeting the Venezuelan government. The dictator and his wife are now being held in New York while they await trial on narco-terrorism charges. Fox News’ Maria Lencki and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.