Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has said she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to United States President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House, describing the gesture as a mark of respect and recognition for his role in what she called Venezuela’s struggle for freedom.
Machado disclosed this on Thursday after holding talks with Trump and meeting lawmakers at the US Capitol in Washington.
She said the presentation of the medal was an emotional moment and a way of acknowledging Trump’s commitment to confronting the crisis in Venezuela.
“He deserves it, and it was a very emotional moment,” Machado told Fox News in an interview after the meeting.
The development comes amid strained relations between the two leaders following Trump’s decision not to openly back Machado after the January 3 US military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has since appeared to favour Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, provided she aligns with Washington’s interests, particularly regarding access to Venezuela’s vast oil resources.
Speaking to reporters outside the US Capitol, Machado said she had personally presented the Nobel Peace Prize medal to the US president, describing it as recognition of his “unique commitment” to the freedom of Venezuelans.
It remains unclear whether Trump retained the medal after the closed-door meeting, as the Norwegian Nobel Committee maintains that Nobel prizes are not transferable.
Trump had previously expressed disappointment at not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, arguing that his efforts to end multiple global conflicts deserved the award.
Instead, the prize was awarded to Machado, who travelled to Oslo last month to receive it after a dramatic escape from Venezuela by boat.
She later dedicated the award to Trump.
Washington has backed claims by Venezuela’s opposition that Maduro rigged the 2024 presidential election against the candidate supported by Machado, Edmundo González Urrutia.
Despite this, Trump has argued that Machado lacks sufficient domestic support and has opted to work with Rodriguez as Venezuela’s interim leader.
Trump and Rodriguez held their first telephone conversation on Wednesday, with the White House saying the president was encouraged by developments under the interim leadership.
Rodriguez, however, said her government was not afraid of diplomatic confrontation with Washington.
While Rodriguez delivered Maduro’s state-of-the-nation address to Venezuela’s parliament, with the former leader now in a New York jail facing drug trafficking charges, Machado was welcomed by cheering supporters as she exited the White House.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as a courageous voice for many Venezuelans and said Trump remained committed to seeing democratic elections in the country, though she did not provide a timeline.
Since Maduro’s capture, the United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela, including the seizure of a sixth oil tanker as part of efforts to control the country’s energy exports.
US officials also confirmed the completion of the first US-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at about $500 million.
Rodriguez has announced plans to reform Venezuela’s oil sector laws, which currently restrict foreign participation, though details have yet to be released.
Washington has welcomed the release of several political prisoners in recent days, while noting that many remain in detention.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the US operation in Venezuela continues to ripple across the region, with Cuba on Thursday honouring soldiers killed during the raid that led to Maduro’s capture.
