Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump, symbolizing gratitude for U.S. support amid ongoing tensions regarding Venezuela’s future.
In a dramatic blend of diplomacy and personal gesture, Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. During the meeting, which lasted approximately two and a half hours, Machado reportedly handed Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal as a token of appreciation for his role in the recent ousting of Nicolás Maduro.
The encounter marked a significant reunion for two figures who have navigated a complicated relationship since the U.S. captured Maduro on January 3. As Machado exited the White House, she was greeted by a crowd of supporters gathered along Pennsylvania Avenue. She described the presentation of the medal as a “recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom.”
“We can count on President Trump,” Machado told the crowd, pausing to embrace several supporters who had braved the winter cold for hours to see her.
However, the gesture comes with considerable political implications. Earlier in the week, the Norwegian Nobel Institute issued a stern reminder that the Peace Prize is a non-transferable honor. “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the institute stated, emphasizing that the decision remains final “for all time.”
While the White House has not confirmed whether Trump officially accepted the medal for his personal collection, the meeting represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for Venezuela’s future. Despite Machado’s popularity among the diaspora and her status as a Nobel laureate, Trump has been cautious about fully endorsing her as the country’s next leader. Recently, the president expressed a preference for working with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, citing concerns that Machado may lack the necessary domestic support to stabilize Venezuela.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized Machado as a “remarkable and brave voice,” but noted that the meeting was a “realistic assessment” of the situation on the ground rather than a formal shift in U.S. policy.
For Machado, the visit to Washington carried personal risk. Having spent much of the past year in hiding to evade Maduro’s security forces, her appearance at the White House and subsequent meetings with a bipartisan group of senators on Capitol Hill signaled a return to the global spotlight.
During her remarks to lawmakers, Machado shifted from the symbolic gesture of the medal to the practical needs of her homeland. She articulated a vision for transforming Venezuela from a “criminal hub” into a “security shield” for the Western hemisphere through open markets and the rule of law.
As the dust settles on the meeting, the image of a Nobel laureate offering her highest honor to a sitting U.S. president remains a striking testament to the unconventional nature of modern Venezuelan-American relations. Later, Machado was seen leaving the White House with a Trump-branded swag bag, a gesture that seemed minor in comparison to her significant gift. Whether her efforts will be sufficient to secure Trump’s full backing for her presidency remains a central question in both Caracas and Washington.
According to The American Bazaar, Machado’s actions reflect the complexities and challenges of international diplomacy in the context of Venezuela’s political landscape.