Machado Gifts Nobel Peace Medal to President Trump

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had met with Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado, revealing that she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize during their engagement.

The interaction marks a significant symbolic development in Washington’s diplomatic maneuvering regarding the future of the South American nation following the detention of Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

Writing in a post on his official Truth Social account on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, President Trump described the meeting as a "Great Honor."

He characterized Machado as "a wonderful woman who has been through so much," acknowledging the personal and political tribulations she has faced during her tenure as a leading voice against the socialist government in Caracas.

According to the President’s statement, the meeting included a notable exchange in which Machado physically offered him the prestigious award she recently received. 

"María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done," Trump wrote. He described the action as "Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect," concluding his public comments with thanks to the opposition leader.

Symbolism Amid Diplomatic Complexity

The meeting, which administration officials had previously confirmed was scheduled for Thursday at the White House, occurred against a backdrop of shifting U.S. strategy.

The Trump administration is currently navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance engagement with the traditional opposition movement led by Machado against pragmatic cooperation with the interim government led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.

The presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize to the U.S. President follows a trajectory of public overtures from Machado toward Trump.

She had previously dedicated the award to him, describing the President as a "champion of freedom," and had offered to share the honor. This gesture sparked procedural clarifications from the Nobel Institute, which issued a statement noting that the prize "cannot be revoked, shared or transferred."

President Trump had subsequently remarked to reporters that Norway was "embarrassed" by the decision and indicated he intended to discuss the matter with Machado directly.

Strategic Pivot and Internal Assessments

While the meeting signals continued high-level access for the Venezuelan opposition, it comes as the White House reassesses its long-term approach to governance in Caracas. Reports indicate that the administration has recently signaled a preference for working with the interim authority of Rodríguez to ensure stability.

This strategic pivot was reportedly influenced by a classified U.S. intelligence assessment briefed to the President prior to the Jan. 3 military operation that resulted in the seizure of Maduro.

The assessment determined that top members of the former regime—specifically Rodríguez—were best positioned to lead a temporary government.

President Trump recently suggested that his administration would effectively be "running" Venezuela during the transition period and noted on Sunday that he was working "really well" with the Rodríguez administration.

Furthermore, the President has expressed skepticism regarding the opposition's immediate capacity to govern. In an interview with Fox News last week, Trump stated that the Venezuelan opposition "couldn't have an election" and asserted that Machado "doesn't have the support or the respect within the country" to lead.

Despite these executive reservations, Republican lawmakers have applied pressure on the White House to maintain staunch support for the opposition.

Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R., Fla.) recently told CBS’s "Face the Nation" that Machado has earned the support of the Venezuelan people and expressed confidence that the opposition leader would have a "solid conversation" with the President.

Humanitarian and Diplomatic Context

Machado’s arrival in Washington followed a period of extreme personal risk. She had spent over a year in hiding before escaping Venezuela by sea with the aid of a private extraction team to accept her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

Prior to her Washington visit, she met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, urging the pontiff to "intercede" for Venezuelans who remain "kidnapped and disappeared."

The issue of political prisoners remains a central point of contention in the ongoing transition.

While the interim Venezuelan government announced the release of 116 individuals jailed under Maduro, rights groups and United Nations experts have disputed these figures. 

UN experts and opposition figures estimate that only about 50 prisoners have actually been released, a fraction of the 800 to 1,200 individuals believed to be in custody.

The legal aid group Foro Penal confirmed only 49 releases as of Monday.

The discrepancy has led to anguish among families of detainees, many of whom have camped outside the El Rodeo prison near Caracas. Manuel Mendoza, a relative of a detainee, described waiting "out in the open air, suffering" for days in hopes of news regarding his son.

A UN fact-finding mission declared on Monday that the releases fell "far short of Venezuela's international human rights obligations."

Path Toward Normalization

Parallel to the engagement with Machado, the U.S. is advancing diplomatic normalization with the interim government in Caracas. U.S. envoys visited the Venezuelan capital last week to discuss reopening the U.S. Embassy, seven years after diplomatic ties were severed.

Diosdado Cabello, a prominent figure in the ruling socialist party now cooperating with the transition, stated during a televised meeting on Monday that steps were moving forward to reopen the embassy and resume oil sales to the United States. "We're going to continue on this path, looking for peace and tranquility," Cabello said.

The timeline for a full democratic transition remains elongated. President Trump recently told NBC News that elections would likely not take place within the next 30 days, suggesting that the United States could oversee the country for several years to ensure stability.