US President Donald Trump expressed gratitude for meeting Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize during a private discussion at the White House. Trump described Machado as a remarkable individual who has endured significant challenges. The meeting, held in the White House’s Private Dining Room, marked the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Machado.
Machado explained that she symbolically presented Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize medal, emphasizing the shared democratic values between Venezuela and the United States. She drew a historical parallel, mentioning how French General Marquis de Lafayette once gave Venezuelan independence leader Simon Bolívar a medal featuring George Washington’s likeness. Machado highlighted this gesture as a recognition of Trump’s dedication to freedom.
Despite the gesture, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified that once awarded, the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked. Following her meeting at the White House, Machado proceeded to Capitol Hill for a bipartisan discussion with US senators, facilitated by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen. Durbin praised Machado for her courage and efforts to instigate change in Venezuela, while Shaheen cautioned against a mere transition from one authoritarian regime to another.
Both Republican and Democratic senators commended Machado’s leadership qualities and bravery, although some voiced concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of Venezuela post-Nicolas Maduro’s removal. Machado’s visit to the US came after a private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where she sought support for the release of political prisoners. Her public reappearance in December, after nearly a year in hiding, was to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
