Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado visited the White House on Thursday to meet President Donald Trump, where she said she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal. The meeting marked the first in-person encounter between the two since the recent political upheaval in Venezuela.
Speaking to journalists after leaving the White House, Machado said, "I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans." She did not indicate whether Trump had taken possession of the medal.
The visit comes after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in early January, a move that reshaped the country’s political landscape. Although Machado’s opposition group claimed victory in the contested 2024 elections, Trump has not endorsed her as Venezuela’s new leader.
Instead, the US is interacting with Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, who currently serves as acting head of state.
Addressing supporters outside the White House, Machado spoke in Spanish, according to the Associated Press: "We can count on President Trump." Later, speaking in English to the press, she said, "I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize," calling it "a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom."
Whether Trump accepted the medal remains unclear. Trump, who has previously expressed a desire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, had reacted unfavorably when the award was given to Machado last year.
Machado had mentioned earlier that she intended to share the medal with Trump. The Nobel Committee, however, clarified that the award cannot be shared or transferred.
In a statement, they said, "Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time."
The Nobel Peace Center also posted on X before the meeting that "a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot." When asked to comment on Machado’s remarks, the committee referred back to its earlier statement.
Machado drew historical parallels during her comments, recalling how the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, gave a medal bearing George Washington’s likeness to Simón Bolívar, a founding father of modern Venezuela.
She described this as "a sign of the brotherhood" between the United States and Venezuela in their shared fight for freedom. "And 200 years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal - in this case a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize - as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom," she said.
During her Washington visit, Machado also met with US senators. Her remarks were occasionally drowned out by supporters chanting "María, presidente" and waving Venezuelan flags.
Machado had aimed to use the meeting to argue that supporting Rodríguez’s interim government was a mistake and that her opposition coalition should lead Venezuela’s transition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as "a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela" and said Trump "was looking forward to this meeting and expecting a frank and positive discussion" about the country’s challenges.
While Trump has called Machado a "freedom fighter," he rejected the idea of making her Venezuela’s leader, citing insufficient domestic support.
Since Maduro’s capture on 3 January, the US has moved to reform Venezuela’s oil sector, previously under sanctions. On Wednesday, a US official reported that the first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500m (£373m), had been completed.
US forces have also intercepted several oil tankers suspected of carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil, with a sixth tanker boarded on Thursday.
The New York Times reported that a Venezuelan envoy is expected to arrive in Washington to meet US officials and start steps toward reopening the country’s embassy. The envoy is described as a close ally of Rodríguez, whom the White House calls "extremely co-operative."
Rodríguez delivered her annual Message to the Nation in Caracas on Thursday, stating she was willing to travel to Washington if required. "If I ever have to go to Washington as acting president, I will do so standing tall, walking, and not crawling," she said, urging Venezuelans to embrace diplomacy.
Trump and Rodríguez spoke by phone on Wednesday, with Trump calling her "a terrific person" on social media. Rodríguez described the call as "productive and courteous" and marked by "mutual respect."
