Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arrested by U.S. forces on January 3rd and transferred to New York City, where he faces federal charges related to drug trafficking and corruption. Maduro's arrest has plunged Venezuela into a highly uncertain power transition, with the selection of a new leader becoming a focus of international attention. Among several potential successors, opposition leader María Corina Machado , a long-time public supporter of Bitcoin, is considered a key figure who could potentially lead the future transition.
Market predictions indicate that Machado is the third most likely successor.
According to the latest data from the prediction market platform Kalshi , Machado currently has a 27% chance of winning in the prediction of "who will actually lead Venezuela by the end of 2026", ranking third.
Second on the list is Edmundo González Urrutia , the candidate supported by the opposition coalition "Unitary Platform," with a chance of about 30%.
The top contender is the current Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, who has been appointed acting president by the Supreme Court, with a probability of about 32%.
He publicly supports Bitcoin and once called it the lifeline of Venezuelans.
Machado has garnered attention due to her long-standing public stance on Bitcoin. In a late 2024 interview with the Human Rights Foundation ( HRF), she stated that Venezuelans used Bitcoin to preserve assets, make payments, and even raise funds for leaving the country during periods of hyperinflation, describing Bitcoin as a "lifeline" for Venezuelans amidst the collapse of the monetary system.
She pointed out that if there is an opportunity to guide the country's direction in the future, she will consider including Bitcoin in the national reserve assets and as part of the payment system.
Cryptocurrencies become a tool for ordinary people amid hyperinflation.
Since Maduro took office in 2013, the Venezuelan bolivar has lost over 99.99% of its purchasing power, forcing more than 8 million Venezuelans to emigrate. Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, have become a practical tool for some families to send remittances across borders and support relatives.
In contrast, the Maduro government has repeatedly seized Bitcoin mining farms and equipment on the grounds of illegal electricity use or lack of permits, cracking down hard on mining companies.
From election bans to succession discussions, Bitcoin's stance is once again in the spotlight.
Looking back at the 2025 presidential election, Machado was widely considered a favorite to win, but before the election, the Supreme Court barred him from running for office on the grounds of disputes over administrative and election laws, sparking considerable controversy.
Now, with Maduro's arrest and the changing power structure, this opposition leader, who was previously banned from elections and has explicitly supported Bitcoin, has once again become a key figure in discussions about Venezuela's future.
(The raid shocked the world; Trump: The US will temporarily "take over" Venezuela)
This article , which focuses on Bitcoin advocate Machado and the succession in Venezuela after Maduro's arrest, first appeared on ABMedia, a ABMedia .
