WASHINGTON — Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was in the halls of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, alongside South Florida Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Gimenez.

“Venezuela, by the way, is on the verge of true Freedom and Democracy,” said Diaz-Balart.

It’s been a whirlwind month for the exiled leader.

Shortly after Nicolas Maduro was taken into U.S. custody, President Donald Trump said he did not believe Machado had enough support from the Venezuelan people to lead.

Trump appears to be warming to the nation’s Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, praising Venezuelan leadership on Tuesday.

“I’m loving Venezuela,” he said. “And they’ve been working with us so well. It’s been so nice.”

But Gimenez said there should be no doubt that Machado is the right choice to lead this new chapter for the Venezuelan people.

“She is the undisputed leader of Venezuela,” said Gimenez.

Machado said for now, her focus is on securing a peaceful and democratic future for Venezuela and is thanking the South Florida lawmakers who stood behind her.

“When many told us to give up, you trusted the Venezuelan people for the right reason, because freedom always prevails,” she said.

Machado says she believes Venezuela could just be the beginning and she hopes to see a South America free of what she calls communism, dictatorship and narco-terrorism.

Gimenez calls Machado ‘undisputed leader of Venezuela’ during her visit to Washington

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