Machado Hands Nobel Medal to Trump as Venezuela’s Political Future Hangs in the Balance

Jamaica Live International News– | Jan 14, 2026

Washington, D.C. — Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado said Thursday that she presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a high-stakes meeting at the White House — a symbolic gesture underscoring her hopes of cementing U.S. support for Venezuela’s political future. Her gesture appeared to be part of her effort to gain influence over the future direction of Venezuela.

According to the Nobel Committee, Machado, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democratic rights and challenge the authoritarian rule of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Machado met with Trump for more than an hour in what officials described as their first face-to-face encounter.

Trump had openly campaigned for the prize before Machado was awarded it last month. On January 8, 2026, Donald Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that it would be a “great honor” if Venezuelan María Corina Machado chose to share or give him her prize, following reports that she’d offered it to him in exchange for support in Venezuela. Trump expressed pleasure at the prospect but also suggested he deserved multiple Nobels for ending “eight and a quarter wars.”

Asked on Wednesday if he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump told Reuters: “No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which awards the Peace Prize, reiterated before the meeting that a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked once awarded — regardless of any personal exchange of the medal itself.

After the meeting, Machado told reporters she had given Trump her gold Nobel medal “in recognition of his unique commitment with our freedom.” She did not confirm whether Trump had formally accepted the medal.

The gesture appears aimed at consolidating influence over the future of Venezuela — where opposition forces and the Trump administration have at times been at odds over leadership strategy following Maduro’s ouster in a bold U.S. military operation earlier this month.

Trump, who had previously expressed skepticism about Machado’s ability to lead Venezuela and publicly questioned her domestic support, had earlier in January said he would be honored to accept a Nobel Peace Prize from her if offered.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Thursday’s lunch as constructive, noting Trump “looked forward” to the meeting but maintained a “realistic” outlook about Machado’s political prospects. In comments to Reuters last week, Trump said he believed Machado lacked the support and respect within Venezuela needed to lead.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump said.

Following the White House meeting, Machado also held talks with more than a dozen U.S. senators on Capitol Hill, where she found a more receptive audience among lawmakers from both parties concerned about Venezuela’s democratic transition.

The unusual episode highlights both the symbolic power of the Nobel Prize and the complex dynamics in U.S.–Venezuela relations, as Washington weighs its strategic interests — including access to Venezuela’s oil resources and regional stability — alongside support for democratic reform.