Trump Accepts Nobel Medal from Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado

During a meeting at the White House on Thursday (January 15), Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado handed over her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump. She used the occasion to attempt to influence how Trump may shape the political future of Venezuela.

A White House spokesperson confirmed that Trump plans to keep the medal.

Trump later shared on social media, "Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. What a kind gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!"

Describing the meeting as “excellent,” Machado explained that the gift was in recognition of Trump’s dedication to supporting Venezuelan freedom.

This move comes after Trump rejected the idea of installing Machado as Venezuela's new leader to replace the deposed Nicolás Maduro. Before Machado was awarded the prize last month, Trump had publicly campaigned for it, expressing his dissatisfaction after being overlooked.

Although Machado presented Trump with the gold medal typically given to Nobel laureates, the award remains hers. The Norwegian Nobel Institute has confirmed that the prize cannot be transferred or revoked.

When asked if he had wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump clarified to Reuters, "No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize."

Trump has long expressed an interest in receiving the prize, often associating it with his diplomatic achievements.

The lunch meeting, which lasted just over an hour, marked the first face-to-face encounter between the two. Afterwards, Machado met with over a dozen senators, both Republican and Democratic, on Capitol Hill, where she found a warmer reception.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that Trump had been eager to meet with Machado but maintained his "realistic" stance that she does not yet have the support necessary to lead Venezuela in the immediate future.

Machado, who escaped Venezuela in December by sea, is vying for Trump’s attention against figures from Venezuela's government, seeking to secure a role in the country's future leadership.

Following the US capture of Maduro earlier this month, opposition leaders, Venezuelan expatriates, and politicians across the US and Latin America have expressed optimism about the possibility of Venezuela moving toward democracy.

Hope for Democratic Progress

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who met with Machado, shared that she had told senators that the repression in Venezuela under interim President Delcy Rodríguez was no different from that under Maduro. He described Rodríguez as a "smooth operator" whose power continues to grow, bolstered by Trump’s support.

"I hope elections happen, but I’m sceptical," Murphy stated.

Trump has said that his focus is on securing access to Venezuela’s oil and rebuilding its economy.

Trump has also praised Rodríguez, Maduro’s second-in-command, who became Venezuela’s leader after Maduro's capture. In an interview with Reuters, Trump remarked, "She's been very good to deal with."

Machado is currently barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election by a court dominated by Maduro’s allies. Many external observers believe that Edmundo González, an opposition figure backed by Machado, won by a substantial margin, though Maduro declared victory and kept control.

While the Venezuelan government has recently released dozens of political prisoners, external groups and advocates have argued that the number of releases has been exaggerated by Caracas.

In her annual address to lawmakers, Rodríguez called for diplomacy with the US and stated that if she needed to travel to Washington, she would go "on her own feet, not dragged there." She also proposed reforms to Venezuela's oil sector to facilitate increased access for foreign investors.

Reuters