Evita meets Thatcher: the woman fighting Venezuela’s autocracy

00:00 05:53

Paola Romero has narrated this article for you to listen to.

Maria Corina Machado is showing the world how opposition politicians can fight an autocrat. When President Nicolas Maduro tried to thwart her campaign by banning her from taking domestic flights, she drove between her rallies on a motorcycle. When he then banned her from running as a candidate in Venezuela’s presidential election, which takes place this Sunday, she found a retired diplomat to run as her proxy. Without even being on the ballot, she may bring down Maduro’s socialist regime.

Venezuela is used to left-wing populists whipping up crowds by railing against America, the rich and capitalism in general. Machado is their equal and opposite. She’s a stylish 56-year-old who mixes the crowd-pulling allure of Evita Peron with the politics of Margaret Thatcher. Her agenda is one of reconciliation, market reform and a pledge to end the Chavez/Maduro experiment.