Amid growing political uncertainty following the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, analysts say a politician who has openly supported Bitcoin is emerging as a potential future leader.
According to Cointelegraph, Venezuelan human rights activist and political leader Maria Machado is being considered a strong candidate for the next leader. Machado has maintained a hardline anti-Maduro stance and gained international recognition last year when she won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Machado, in particular, is known as a prominent pro-Bitcoin politician. He has previously stated, "Bitcoin is a lifeline for Venezuelans," emphasizing that "Bitcoin is a technology for freedom and can solve Venezuelan poverty by protecting property rights, lowering inflation, and ensuring equal opportunity." Given Venezuela's history of hyperinflation and currency collapse, he has been evaluating Bitcoin as an alternative financial tool.
According to Kalshi, a US-based prediction market platform, Machado has a 28% chance of becoming Venezuela's next leader, ranking him second. The top contender is Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, an opposition leader who ran in last year's presidential election but fled the country following allegations of election fraud. His current odds are around 32%.
Market observers predict that if a Bitcoin-friendly leader were to actually take power, Venezuela's digital asset policy could fundamentally shift. This suggests a shift away from the country's existing economic structure, which relies heavily on oil resources, and the potential for a full-fledged strategy of expanding financial accessibility and protecting assets through the use of Bitcoin and blockchain.
However, there are still many variables to overcome, such as political turmoil, international sanctions, and economic recovery issues. Whether Bitcoin-friendly policies can actually become a national strategy depends on future political developments.
