Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado said she presented her Nobel medal to US President Donald Trump during a private meeting at the White House, calling the act a historic gesture that highlights the shared struggles for liberty between the two nations.
Speaking to reporters after the lunch in the White House’s Private Dining Room, Machado explained that the presentation mirrored an event from two centuries ago.
French General Marquis de Lafayette had gifted Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar a medal bearing George Washington’s likeness. Machado said her act symbolically returned the recognition to Washington’s heir.
“This medal recognises his unique commitment to our freedom,” Machado told the press.
The meeting marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Machado.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as ‘a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela’. She said the president was keen to hear her assessment of the country’s situation.
Leavitt highlighted continued US engagement with Venezuela’s interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez. She cited cooperation in a $500 million energy deal and the release of political prisoners, including five Americans, as evidence of constructive dialogue.
It remains unclear whether Donald Trump formally accepted the Nobel medal. The Norwegian Nobel Institute maintains that once awarded, a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred. It also cannot be shared or revoked.
Machado’s visit came amid mixed signals from Trump regarding her political future. Earlier this month, he described her prospects of leading Venezuela as very tough, while praising Rodríguez as a terrific person.
Following the White House meeting, Machado visited Capitol Hill for bipartisan talks with US senators. The meetings included Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen.
Both senators lauded her leadership and courage, with Durbin noting she was completely deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Shaheen emphasised that removing a dictator does not automatically restore democracy.
Machado also met Pope Leo XIV earlier this week at the Vatican, seeking his intercession for the release of political prisoners. She reemerged publicly in December after 11 months in hiding to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
Also Read: President Donald Trump Imposes 25% Tariff On Select Semiconductor Imports
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
