Venezuela Maduro's opposition are 'true patriots' but 'real change' won't come from 1 election, experts say

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Venezuela's current political upheaval following an allegedly fraudulent presidential election will not be resolved simply by putting the opposition candidates in power, though it is a strong first step, experts told Fox News Digital.

"I certainly think that these are patriots," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital during a digital press conference. "Maria Corina Machado is … one of the bravest people I've ever encountered and one of the greatest political figures in the world."

"She's remained in the country steadfast," Rubio continued. "She put aside any personal ambitions she may have had in her hand and allowed her to be the candidate for the opposition, and didn't let that get in the way."

"So these are extraordinary people, and the only reason you do that is because you love your country," he added.

BIDEN'S VENEZUELA POLICY FEEDS MADURO STRONGMAN IMAGE, EMBOLDENS DICTATOR IN ELECTION CONTROVERSY: RUBIO

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro intervened in the November 2023 primaries to prevent the immensely popular Machado from standing against him, instead forcing her to stand aside and allow Edmundo Gonzalez to pick up the banner of the opposition.

Pre-election polling (which is illegal in the country) showed Gonzalez had double the support that Maduro and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) had, but the Maduro-controlled National Electoral