Trump Hails ‘Gesture of Respect’ as Machado Hands Over Nobel Peace Prize Medal

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Thursday that she had “presented” her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former US president Donald Trump, describing the move as a sign of respect aimed at winning over a leader who has so far declined to fully back her.

Trump welcomed what he described as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect,” after previously saying the Nobel Peace Prize should have been awarded to him. The exchange follows Trump’s refusal to support Machado after the January 3 US military operation that led to the overthrow of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

“He deserves it, and it was a very emotional moment,” Machado told Fox News in an interview later on Thursday.

Despite the symbolic gesture, Trump has continued to signal support for Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, provided she aligns with Washington’s priorities, particularly continued access to Venezuela’s vast oil resources.

“I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado told reporters outside the US Capitol, where she met lawmakers after having lunch with Trump at the White House.

Machado, 58, said the medal was “recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”

It remains unclear whether Trump retained the medal following their closed-door meeting. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has stated that Nobel prizes cannot be transferred.

‘Not afraid’

Trump had actively campaigned to win last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, citing his efforts to halt eight wars. Instead, the award went to Machado, who travelled to Oslo last month to receive it after a dramatic escape from Venezuela by boat, later dedicating the prize to Trump.

Venezuela’s opposition maintains that Maduro rigged the 2024 election against Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the candidate backed by Machado’s party — allegations supported by Washington.

However, Trump has argued that Machado lacks sufficient domestic support and has chosen instead to engage with Rodriguez, a former Maduro loyalist.

Trump and Rodriguez held their first phone call on Wednesday, with the White House saying on Thursday that the former president “likes what he’s seeing” from Venezuela’s interim leadership.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, said her government was prepared for diplomatic confrontation if necessary.

“We know they are very powerful. We know they are a lethal nuclear power… we are not afraid to confront them diplomatically, through political dialogue,” she said.

Rodriguez delivered Maduro’s state-of-the-nation address to parliament as the former Venezuelan leader remains jailed in New York on drug trafficking charges.

By contrast, Machado was welcomed by cheering supporters as she left the White House.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as a “remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela,” adding that Trump was “committed to hopefully seeing elections in Venezuela one day,” though she declined to provide a timeline.

Oil pressure intensifies

Since Maduro’s capture, Trump has said the United States would effectively “run” Venezuela through pressure measures including a naval blockade and threats of further military action, while allowing Rodriguez to remain in charge as long as oil exports continue.

On Thursday, US forces seized a sixth oil tanker as part of efforts to control Venezuela’s oil sector. A US official also told AFP that the first US-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at about $500 million, has been completed, though the buyer was not disclosed.

In her address, Rodriguez announced plans for legal reforms to Venezuela’s oil industry, which currently restrict foreign participation, but offered no details.

Washington has also welcomed the release of dozens of political prisoners in recent days, although hundreds are still detained.

Meanwhile, the aftermath of the swift US operation that removed Maduro continues to ripple across the region. Cuba on Thursday honoured 32 soldiers killed during the raid, some of whom had been assigned to Maduro’s security detail, at a ceremony attended by former Cuban leader Raul Castro.

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