Venezuelan opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado told reporters she presented the medal for her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump at a private White House meeting on Thursday, but did not say if he accepted it.
“I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans,” she said after the meeting Trump, the first time the two have met in-person.
In the weeks after US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Trump has declined to endorse Machado, whose movement claimed victory in 2024’s widely contested elections, as its new leader.
He is instead dealing with the acting head of state there, Delcy RodrÃguez, Maduro’s former vice-president.
ReutersAfter leaving the White House, Machado spoke to supporters gathered at the gates outside, telling them in Spanish, according to the Associated Press: “We can count on President Trump.”
“I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado then told journalists in English, calling it “a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom”.
It is not clear whether Trump accepted the award. Trump, who often speaks about his desire to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, had expressed displeasure when it was given to Machado and she decided to accept the honour last year.
Machado said last week that she would share it with Trump, but the Nobel Committee later clarified that it was not transferable.
Machado also visited Congress to meet US senators during her visit to Washington, where her remarks to reporters were drowned out by supporters, who chanted “MarÃa, presidente” and waved Venezuelan flags.
Machado had been expected use her time with Trump to try to persuade him that backing RodrÃguez’s interim government was a mistake, and that her opposition coalition should be in charge of this transition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters as the meeting was underway on Thursday that Machado is “a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela”.
Trump has previously described her as a “freedom fighter”, but rejected the notion of appointing her to lead Venezuela after Maduro’s removal, arguing that she lacks sufficient domestic sup.
“The president was looking forward to this meeting and expecting a frank and positive discussion,” Leavitt said. “He wants to hear directly from Ms Machado about the realities on the ground in Venezuela and what is taking place in the country.”
Since Maduro was seized on 3 January, the Trump administration has moved quickly to remake Venezuela’s oil sector, which had been under US sanctions. On Wednesday an American official said the US had completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500m (£373m).
