Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday and stated that she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal “in recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom.”
According to a report from Associated Press (AP), neither Machado nor the White House provided details on whether the former president accepted the medal, or if the gesture was symbolic.
The Nobel Institute, for its part, had previously stated that the Venezuelan could not formally transfer or deliver the award, AP recalled.
Machado did not answer questions from journalists after the closed-door meeting, which lasted over two hours.
Surrounding her were dozens of Venezuelan supporters waiting with flags and banners.
"We can count on President Trump," he briefly stated before leaving, as some attendees chanted, "Thank you, Trump!"
The meeting marks a significant gesture amid the complex relationship between Trump and Machado.
Journalist David Alandete noted on X that Machado sought to draw a parallel with the episode in which General Lafayette gifted Simón Bolívar a medal featuring the likeness of George Washington, which the liberator always kept as a symbol of the connection between the struggle for independence in America and the foundational values of the United States.
Additionally, she noted that Machado emphasized that her gesture symbolized the union between the defense of freedom, the rejection of tyranny, and a shared historical tradition that, according to her, remains essential for the future of Venezuela.
Although Trump has praised the efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela, he has questioned the leader's ability to take charge of the country following Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces on January 3rd.
During his stay in Washington, Machado also visited the Capitol, where he held a closed-door meeting with senators from both parties.
There, he reiterated that he had presented his medal to Trump in recognition of his role in the Venezuelan transition process.
The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, described Machado as "a brave and remarkable voice," although she emphasized that the meeting did not change the president's position on the political situation in Venezuela.
Trump has stated that he finds it “difficult” for Machado to assume power due to the internal divisions within the opposition, and has expressed a willingness to work with interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who has been leading the Venezuelan administration since Maduro's capture.
Machado's visit coincided with a new U.S. operation in the Caribbean, where naval forces intercepted a tanker linked to the Venezuelan regime.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for his role in the democratic resistance against Maduro's regime and his defense of human rights in Latin America.
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