In a politically charged gesture at the White House, Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump, framing the act as recognition of his dedication to Venezuelan freedom. The Thursday meeting marked their first face-to-face encounter since U.S. forces apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas on drug-trafficking charges several weeks prior.
Machado characterized the event as “a historic day for us Venezuelans,” though Trump has refrained from endorsing her as Venezuela’s legitimate leader despite her coalition’s claims of victory in the intensely disputed 2024 elections. Instead, the U.S. administration has engaged with Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting head of state and former vice-president to Maduro.
Trump described the encounter as a “great honor,” praising Machado as “a wonderful woman who has been through so much.” Following the meeting, Machado assured supporters in Spanish that “we can count on President Trump,” and later told English-speaking journalists that the medal presentation represented “a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
The symbolic transfer sparked immediate controversy, with the Nobel committee clarifying that prizes “cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others” once awarded. The Nobel Peace Center emphasized on social media that “a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
Machado contextualized her action through historical precedent, recounting how the Marquis de Lafayette presented a George Washington medal to Simón Bolívar as a token of solidarity against tyranny. “Two hundred years later,” she stated, “the people of Bolívar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal.”
During her Washington visit, Machado also met with U.S. senators amid enthusiastic chants of “María, presidente” from supporters. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged Machado as “a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela” prior to the meeting.
The diplomatic developments coincide with significant shifts in Venezuelan policy. Since Maduro’s capture on January 3rd, the Trump administration has moved aggressively to restructure Venezuela’s oil sector, completing a $500 million oil sale and seizing multiple tankers allegedly transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
Simultaneously, diplomatic channels show signs of reopening, with a Venezuelan government envoy expected in Washington to discuss reopening their embassy. Rodríguez expressed willingness to engage diplomatically, stating she would visit Washington “standing tall, walking, and not crawling” if required as acting president.