Weeks before Nicolás Maduro's arrest, opposition leader María Corina Machado proposed a radical economic overhaul for Venezuela. Machado, speaking virtually at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, envisioned privatizing over 500 state-owned companies. She argued this would reverse the socialist policies she blames for the nation's economic collapse.

Machado, recently awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, presented her plan weeks after receiving the honor. She estimated the privatization opportunity at $1.7 trillion, citing figures from her economic advisory team. Machado, in hiding from the Maduro regime at the time, described Venezuela as a nation fallen from its former status as the richest in the region.

The proposed privatization aims to attract massive private investment. Machado believes this is crucial to rebuild Venezuela's shattered economy. The plan seeks to dismantle the existing socialist system.

Venezuela, once a prosperous nation, has suffered a severe economic decline under Maduro's socialist policies. This decline fueled widespread poverty and social unrest. Machado's plan represents a stark departure from the current economic model.

The future of Machado's plan remains uncertain following Maduro's arrest. The political landscape is shifting rapidly. The international community is closely watching developments in Venezuela.