Breaking: Venezuelan Nobel Prize Winner Presents her Award to US President Donald Trump

Maria Corina Machado and Donald Trump with Nobel Prize Award

The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House, saying the gesture was meant to highlight his commitment to freedom in Venezuela.

After meeting Trump face to face for the first time, Machado described the encounter as a historic moment for Venezuelans. The meeting comes weeks after US forces arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas on drug trafficking charges.

Trump later thanked Machado in a social media post, describing her gesture as a “strong sign of mutual respect.” However, the US president stopped short of endorsing Machado as Venezuela’s new leader, despite her movement claiming victory in the highly contested 2024 elections.

Instead, Trump has continued to engage with Venezuela’s acting head of state, Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president. Nevertheless, Trump described his meeting with Machado as a “great honour” and praised her as a “strong woman who has endured so much.”

After leaving the White House, Machado addressed supporters gathered outside the gates in Spanish, saying they could “count on President Trump,” according to the Associated Press. She later told journalists in English that she had presented the US president with the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

Trump, who has previously spoken about his desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize, was reportedly unhappy that the award was given to Machado, which she accepted last year. The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

Machado had said last week that she intended to share the prize with Trump, but the Nobel Committee later clarified that this is not permitted. In a statement, the committee said once a Nobel Prize is awarded, it cannot be cancelled, shared, or transferred, and the decision is final.

When asked by the BBC to comment on Machado’s remarks, the committee referred to its earlier statement. Ahead of the White House meeting, the Nobel Peace Center posted on X that while a medal can change hands, the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.

In her remarks, Machado referenced a historical example in which the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, presented a medal bearing George Washington’s image to Simón Bolívar, one of the founders of modern Venezuela. She described the gesture as a symbol of brotherhood between the two nations in their shared fight for freedom against tyranny.

She added that more than 200 years later, the people of Bolívar were returning a medal to the heir of Washington—this time a Nobel Peace Prize medal—in recognition of Trump’s unique commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.

During her visit to Washington, Machado also met with members of the US Congress. However, her remarks were largely drowned out by supporters waving Venezuelan flags and chanting “María, presidente.”

Machado is expected to have used her meeting with Trump to argue that supporting Rodríguez’s interim government is a mistake and that her opposition coalition should lead the transition.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the meeting was ongoing on Thursday and described Machado as a “remarkable and brave voice for many Venezuelans.” She added that Trump was looking forward to the meeting and expected frank and positive discussions about the situation in Venezuela.

Trump has previously referred to Machado as a “freedom fighter” but has declined to support her appointment as Venezuela’s leader after Maduro’s removal, citing insufficient local backing.

Since Maduro’s arrest on January 3, the Trump administration has moved quickly to restructure Venezuela’s oil sector, which had been under US sanctions. On Wednesday, a US official said the country had completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500 million (£373 million).

US forces have also seized oil tankers suspected of carrying sanctioned Venezuelan crude, with officials confirming the interception of a sixth tanker on Thursday.

According to The New York Times, a Venezuelan government envoy is expected to travel to Washington to meet US officials and begin steps toward reopening the country’s embassy. The envoy is said to be a close ally of Rodríguez and has been described by the White House as “extremely cooperative.”

Rodríguez delivered Venezuela’s annual State of the Nation address in Caracas on Thursday, saying she was open to meetings in Washington. She stated that if she were to enter Washington as acting president, she would do so “standing tall, walking and not crawling,” and urged Venezuelans not to fear diplomacy with the United States.

Trump and Rodríguez also spoke by phone on Wednesday. Trump described her on social media as a “terrific person,” while Rodríguez said the conversation was productive, courteous, and marked by mutual respect.