Venezuelan firebrand Maria Corina Machado made headlines by gifting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump in a secretive White House lunch, framing it as a ‘historic symbol’ of joint freedom battles. The January 16 meeting, revealed post-event to journalists, bridges centuries of revolutionary solidarity.
Post-meeting, Machado recounted: ‘I presented the US President with the Nobel Peace Prize medal.’ She invoked history, recalling how Lafayette once gave Bolivar a George Washington medal. ‘After two centuries, we’re returning it to his heir – now as this Nobel medal, recognizing aid for our independence.’
Held in the private dining room, this was their inaugural in-person dialogue. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previewed Trump’s excitement, hailing Machado’s bold representation of Venezuelan voices and his eagerness for her ground-level insights into the turmoil.
US-Venezuela interim ties remain robust, per Leavitt, evidenced by a massive $500 million energy agreement and freeing political detainees including five US citizens. Yet, the Nobel Institute in Norway insists awarded prizes are irrevocable – casting doubt on any formal handoff.
Trump’s recent comments paint a complex picture: he questioned Machado’s viability in Venezuela citing weak backing, yet lauded interim figure Delcy Rodriguez. Machado, who surfaced after nearly a year underground, claimed her prize in Norway this December.
Observers see this as Trump tilting toward confrontation with Maduro, leveraging Machado’s symbolism. With Venezuela’s economy in freefall and repression escalating, her White House outreach might unlock new sanctions or aid, reshaping regional dynamics amid global scrutiny.