Venezuelan Opposition Figure Says 'Maduro Is Being Consumed by 24-Hour Continuous Insomnia' From Rising U.S. Pressure

Venezuelan opposition leader Antonio Ledezma said authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro is currently unable to sleep due to mounting pressure from the United States, arguing that the regime in Caracas is running out of options.

"Maduro, as he himself confesses, is being consumed by an insomnia of 24 hours," Ledezma said in an interview with NTN24. "He does not sleep, he does not rest." He added that the Venezuelan leader only "pretends that he has everything under control" while facing an increasingly precarious political scenario.

The comments come as the United States continues a military campaign targeting alleged narcotrafficking operations in the Caribbean, including waters near Venezuela. Washington has conducted 21 strikes resulting in 82 deaths, according to official figures cited by NTN24, while also seeking to remove him from power.

Ledezma argued that Maduro's priority is "to save himself before delivering power in Venezuela," suggesting that senior military and police figures should reconsider supporting a government he described as tied to criminal networks. "Nicolás Maduro is a member of a mafia," he said, adding that the president remains in place in part due to the strategic interests of Cuba and Iran.

He also asserted that political change is the will of the majority of Venezuelans. "Ninety percent of Venezuelans are determined to support a profound change," Ledezma said, again insisting that opposition figures Edmundo González and María Corina Machado represent "legitimate leadership."

Speaking separately to The Objective in Madrid, Ledezma reiterated that he continues advocating for democratic transition while in exile. He highlighted what he called the "humanitarian crisis" under Maduro and said the Venezuelan diaspora remains key to rebuilding the country.

Ledezma, who escaped Venezuela in 2017 after more than 1,000 days in detention, maintains a prominent role in international opposition efforts and currently coordinates the International Political Council of Machado and González.

He also warned that U.S. military pressure is likely to intensify. "This United States is willing to act regardless of the consequences," he said, claiming time is running out for Maduro. "The pendulum indicates that his time has run out," he told NTN24.