Venezuela’s María Corina Machado Presents Her Nobel Peace Prize Medal to Donald Trump at White House

Venezuelan, Jan 16 :  Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday (local time), marking their first face to face meeting since the US led operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The meeting was held behind closed doors over lunch at the White House’s Private Dining Room and came amid renewed international debate over Venezuela’s political future and control of its vast oil resources.

During the meeting, Machado offered her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, a symbolic gesture she described as recognition of his commitment to Venezuela’s freedom. Trump later called the interaction a “great honour,” confirming in a social media post that Machado had presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize during their talks.

“It was my great honour to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump wrote. “She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much.” He added that the gesture was made “for the work I have done,” calling it “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.”

Speaking to reporters, Machado said the act symbolised the shared democratic traditions of Venezuela and the United States. She drew a historical parallel to French General Marquis de Lafayette presenting Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar with a medal bearing the image of George Washington.

“Two hundred years in history, the people of Bolívar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal — in this case, the Nobel Peace Prize — as recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom,” Machado said.

The Norwegian Nobel Institute has clarified that Nobel Peace Prizes, once awarded, cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked.

Earlier, Machado told Fox News that she wanted to personally thank Trump for the capture of Maduro. However, Trump struck a cautious note ahead of the meeting, describing Machado as a “very nice woman” while saying she lacked sufficient domestic support to lead Venezuela.

As the White House talks took place, Machado’s supporters gathered outside, waving Venezuelan flags and calling for political change. Several expressed hope that US action would help pave the way for democracy in their home country.

Following her White House visit, Machado travelled to Capitol Hill for a bipartisan meeting with US senators hosted by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen. Durbin described Machado as “completely deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize,” while Shaheen cautioned that removing a dictator does not automatically restore democracy.

Machado’s US visit follows a private meeting earlier this week with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where she sought international support for the release of political prisoners. She had re-emerged publicly in December after nearly a year in hiding to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has confirmed the first sale of Venezuelan oil worth USD 500 million and has signalled plans for greater US involvement in reviving Venezuela’s oil sector.