A power struggle has officially begun in Venezuela between a Nobel Peace Prize-winning champion of democracy and a key figure of the authoritarian regime.

While opposition leader Maria Corina Machado enjoys widespread popular support, interim President Delcy Rodríguez is aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump, who exerts heavy influence over Venezuela's domestic affairs, setting the stage for a complex confrontation.

According to foreign media outlets including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Machado held a surprise press conference on October 29 following her return to the country, publicly expressing her determination to achieve regime change.

Interim President Rodríguez also countered on the same day by releasing a pre-recorded speech, outlining her vision for Venezuela's future development under her leadership.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital city of Caracas, Machado stated, "The day of the election is the day of freedom," adding, "I have returned to unite and organize society."

Stating that "the democratic transition is irreversible," she emphasized the necessity of political reforms in Venezuela, including the eradication of the remnants of the dictatorship.

Machado also mentioned U.S. President Trump, who ousted former President Nicolás Maduro in January, and expressed her gratitude.

However, she maintained a clear distance regarding the oil agreement signed between the U.S. and the interim government, criticizing it for "failing to meet the level of transparency demanded by society."

President Trump has condoned the legitimacy of the Rodríguez administration in exchange for virtually exclusive access to Venezuela's world-leading oil reserves.

Interim President Rodríguez served as oil minister, finance minister, and vice president as a high-ranking official under the Maduro dictatorship, and has continued her pro-U.S. trajectory following Maduro's ouster.

Machado, who holds an overwhelming lead in various opinion polls, has been engaging in active public political activities since her clandestine return to the country on October 25.

She has been reestablishing contact with close aides and supporters, notably meeting with her lawyer, who had been under house arrest.

On October 28, she also visited La Guaira State, where thousands died in a massive earthquake last June.

Henry Alviarez, the national organization chief of Machado's party Vente Venezuela, stated that Machado plans to embark on a nationwide campaign tour with a presidential run in mind.

Seemingly conscious of Machado's movements, Interim President Rodríguez released a 15-minute pre-recorded speech ahead of Machado's press conference that day.

Rodríguez has legally exceeded her term as acting president in her capacity as vice president.

Regarding election plans, she avoided giving a concrete answer, stating, "Venezuela's political outlook cannot be gauged merely by dates on a calendar."

Interim President Rodríguez kept her guard up, defining Machado's pressure to hold a presidential election as a source of national division by stating, "Elections must not become a cause of conflict."

In response, Machado's associate Alviarez emphasized that the most crucial step right now is setting an election date.

He argued, "Only then can a genuine transition begin, and the Venezuelan people can look to the future with peace of mind and certainty."

For the U.S. government, which has supported the spread of liberal democracy worldwide since the last century, the escalation of Venezuela's power struggle has placed it in a peculiar dilemma.

This is because traditional values such as eradicating the remnants of dictatorship are clashing with America First policies aimed at securing energy resources to achieve energy independence.

The U.S. government is pursuing a process involving Interim President Rodríguez and some opposition figures aimed at reckoning with Venezuela's past and fostering reconciliation.

A specific timeframe for the presidential election has not yet been finalized in these meetings.

It remains uncertain whether Machado will be able to participate in this process.

Ahead of the midterm elections, the Trump administration did not block Machado's return due to potential voter backlash, but clear signs of wariness regarding her future activities remain.

The WSJ forecasted that the competition between Machado and Interim President Rodríguez "will also serve as a crucial test for the Trump administration, which seeks to rebuild Venezuela's stagnant economy after ousting President Maduro and reopen the country's vital energy sector to U.S. investors."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)