Former Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House. Machado, who received the Prize in 2025 for her campaign against the Maduro regime, said the gesture was made in recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom. It remained unclear if Trump accepted the medal, as the Prize is not transferable under Nobel Committee rules. Machado described the meeting as a historic day for Venezuelans and told supporters gathered outside the White House that Venezuelans can count on President Trump, adding that Trump understood the suffering of the Venezuelan population and was committed to securing the release of political prisoners. Crowds of Venezuelan supporters waited for Machado outside the building, celebrating the diplomatic engagement. Before the meeting, there had been speculation over whether she would offer Trump the medal, especially after Trump had publicly expressed interest in winning the Prize himself. Machados political party was widely viewed as having won the 2024 Venezuelan election before then-President Nicols Maduro rejected the results. Maduro was later captured by U.S. forces during a raid on January 3. Since Maduros capture, Trump has maintained contact with Venezuelas acting head of state Delcy Rodrguez rather than endorsing Machado directly, a stance confirmed by his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said Trump still questioned Machados viability as a national leader. Rodrguez has continued releasing political prisoners in recent weeks in an apparent bid to win favor with Washington. Trump said he had held a lengthy call with Rodrguez and that relations were progressing, signaling he preferred dealing with the new acting leadership rather than the traditional opposition. The meeting between Trump and Machado coincided with the release of footage showing U.S. forces storming a Venezuelan tanker operating in defiance of U.S. sanctions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Motor Tanker Veronica had violated a Trump-established maritime quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command released video showing helicopters deploying marines and sailors from the USS Gerald R. Ford to seize the vessel. The Veronica is the sixth tanker interdicted in the ongoing effort to control Venezuelas oil distribution network. Republican officials have framed the tanker seizures as an economic stabilization measure intended to rebuild Venezuelas collapsed oil sector. Trump met with oil executives last week to discuss investment plans totaling up to $100 billion, with projected sales of 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil. Machados whereabouts have been unclear since she went underground last year after briefly being detained in Caracas. She resurfaced publicly in Oslo in December, when her daughter accepted the Nobel medal on her behalf.The post Venezuelas Nobel Peace Prize winner gives medal to Trump in meeting but fails to get his backing to lead country appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
