Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former U.S. President Donald Trump, describing the gesture as a sign of respect and a way to win his backing in Venezuela’s political crisis.
Speaking on Thursday, Machado said the moment was emotional and that Trump “deserves it” for what she called his commitment to freedom. She made the presentation during a closed-door meeting and lunch with Trump at the White House, after which she met with U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol.
Trump later praised the move as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect,” though it remains unclear whether he actually kept the medal. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has said Nobel prizes cannot be transferred.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize last year and dedicated it to Trump during the award ceremony in Oslo, following her dramatic escape from Venezuela. She has long accused President Nicolas Maduro of stealing the 2024 election from opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia—claims backed by Washington.
Despite the gesture, Trump has so far leaned toward working with Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, particularly over access to Venezuela’s oil resources. The two held their first phone call this week, with the White House saying Trump was encouraged by developments under Venezuela’s interim leadership.
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Rodriguez, however, said her government is not afraid of diplomatic confrontation with the United States, even as U.S. pressure mounts through oil tanker seizures and naval actions. Meanwhile, Washington has confirmed the release of several political prisoners, though many remain detained.
As the political tension continues, Machado was greeted by cheering supporters after leaving the White House, while U.S. officials described her as a brave voice for the Venezuelan people—though no clear timeline has been given for fresh elections.
