Venezuela's Opposition Leader Claims Mandate to Govern

In an exclusive interview with CBS Evening News, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado declared she is prepared to lead the country. She stated Venezuelan citizens have already given her the mandate to do so. Machado is the main opponent of President Nicolás Maduro's government. Maduro remains in power, supported by his deputies in the capital, Caracas. The question of who should lead Venezuela is now urgent. Machado told anchor Tony Dokoupil she is ready to lead "as we have been mandated." She did not specify the exact nature of this mandate. The interview highlights the continuing political crisis in Venezuela. The opposition argues the last presidential election was not free or fair.