Among Venezuela's opposition leaders, María Corina Machado is a favorite of ex-patriates in South Florida for her strong defiance of the country's radical socialist government. But now that regime hopes to put her behind bars for a long time.
Machado, a conservative, was a congresswoman until she was stripped her of her seat this year. Officials were angry that she'd denounced Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro before the Organization of American States.
On Wednesday his government indicted Machado on charges of conspiring to assassinate him.
Machado denies the accusation, and it’s unclear what if any evidence prosecutors have. But most political analysts fear Maduro is going after Machado to distract Venezuelans from the country’s economic and violent crime crises. Maduro also faces international human rights criticism for his heavy-handed response to this year’s deadly anti-government street protests. More than 40 people died in that unrest.
