A meeting with special symbolism took place on Thursday at the White House, where Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented Donald Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize that had been awarded to her in December—a gesture that sparked debate and reactions in the international arena.
Trump confirmed the meeting via a social media post, describing Machado as “an extraordinary woman” and her gesture as “a sign of mutual respect.”
“It was a great honor to meet María Corina Machado from Venezuela today. She is an extraordinary woman who has endured many hardships. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a beautiful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, María!” he said.
Machado herself confirmed the meeting, stating that during the meeting and lunch with Trump at the White House, in the absence of journalists, she handed him the Nobel Peace Prize medal.
“I presented the President of the United States with the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize,” she said, linking her action to a historical precedent from Latin America.
According to Machado, she referred to Simón Bolívar and the fact that, two hundred years ago, the Marquis de Lafayette had given him a medal with George Washington’s portrait, which Bolívar kept throughout his life.
“Two hundred years later, Bolívar’s people return a medal to Washington’s heir, in this case the Nobel Peace Prize, as recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom,” Machado stated.
It should be noted that the Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be gifted or transferred, raising an institutional issue regarding the symbolism of this act.
The White House confirmed the meeting, noting that President Trump made a “realistic assessment” of Machado’s popular support, without setting any timeline for elections in Venezuela.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt had previously stated that elections would not be a topic of discussion during the lunch, as Trump aimed mainly to get information on the situation in the country.
After the meeting, Machado stated that “we will always be able to rely on President Trump for Venezuela’s freedom,” describing the meeting as “wonderful.”
The politician, who recently left Venezuela after spending months in hiding, aims to secure a future role in her country’s governance, while the Nobel Prize gesture takes on a clear political and symbolic character.
