Highlights:
- María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, citing his commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.
- Nobel Committee clarified the prize cannot be transferred or revoked.
- Trump met with Machado but has not endorsed her as Venezuela’s leader, continuing dialogue with Delcy Rodríguez.
- Machado referenced historical parallels between Lafayette, Bolívar, and the U.S.-Venezuela relationship.
- U.S. has begun selling Venezuelan oil and seizing tankers following Maduro’s arrest, highlighting geopolitical stakes.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to president Donald Trump during a White House meeting on Thursday (15), calling it a recognition of his dedication to her country’s freedom. The meeting marked Machado’s first in-person encounter with Trump, weeks after US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and charged him in a drug-trafficking case.
“I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans,” Machado said after meeting Trump. She told journalists later: “I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize… as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
Trump described the gesture as “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect” on social media. However, the Nobel Committee clarified that while medals may change hands, the title of a Nobel laureate is permanent and cannot be transferred, revoked, or shared. “The decision is final and stands for all time,” the committee said.
Although Machado’s movement claims victory in Venezuela’s widely contested 2024 elections, Trump has declined to endorse her as the country’s new leader. Instead, he has dealt with acting head of state Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president. Still, he called meeting Machado “a great honor” and described her as “a wonderful woman who has been through so much.”
Machado drew historical parallels to highlight the symbolism of the medal. She referenced the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolutionary War and gave a medal bearing George Washington’s likeness to Simón Bolívar, one of Venezuela’s founding fathers. “The gift was a sign of the brotherhood between her country and the US in their fight for freedom against tyranny,” she said.
During her visit to Washington, Machado also met with U.S. senators on Capitol Hill. Her remarks were occasionally drowned out by supporters chanting “María, presidente” and waving Venezuelan flags. Her aim was reportedly to persuade Trump that backing Rodríguez’s interim government was a mistake and that her opposition coalition should lead the transition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as “a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela” and said Trump “was looking forward to this meeting and expecting a frank and positive discussion” on Venezuela’s current situation.
Freddy Guevara, co-founder of Venezuelan opposition party Voluntad Popular, said Machado’s gesture was not about personal ambition:
“I think this is not a personal goal. I think that María Corina Machado understands the importance, and she believes that this is the right thing to do for the freedom of Venezuela.”
Guevara added that the opposition’s focus remains on securing democratic elections.
Since Maduro’s arrest on January 3, the US has acted quickly to reshape Venezuela’s oil sector, completing its first sale of Venezuelan oil valued at $500 million. US forces have also seized multiple tankers suspected of transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez has expressed willingness to engage diplomatically with Washington, describing her recent phone call with Trump as “productive and courteous” and highlighting “mutual respect.”
Machado’s presentation of the Nobel medal underscores the high-stakes intersection of symbolism, diplomacy, and political maneuvering in Venezuela’s ongoing crisis.
