US President Donald Trump on Thursday met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal.
She said she did it in recognition of Mr Trump's role in removing President Nicolas Maduro and said Latin American revolutionary Simon Bolivar had been involved in a similar gesture in the 19th century.
“I told him this: 200 years ago Gen [Marquis de] Lafayette gave Simon Bolivar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolivar kept the medal for the rest of his life,” Ms Machado said.
“Two hundred years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal, in this case the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize, as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
Mr Trump said on Truth Social that it had been a “great honour” to meet Ms Machado and said her presenting the Nobel to him was a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect”.
The Nobel Peace Institute has previously stressed that prizes cannot be transferred, shared or revoked after they are awarded.
Mr Trump met Ms Machado, 58, amid continued questions over the future of the South American nation. After a lunch meeting with Mr Trump, Ms Machado greeted a small group of supporters who gathered outside the White House. She said the meeting went “very well” but did not answer any questions.
“We know we can count on President Trump for Venezuela's freedom,” said the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which Mr Trump hoped to win.
While the two were meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump would be speaking with Ms Machado about “the realities on the ground”.
“I know the President was looking forward to this meeting,” Ms Leavitt told reporters. “And he was expecting it to be a good and positive discussion with Ms Machado, who is really a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela.”
Ms Machado later headed to the US Congress to meet a bipartisan group of senior senators.
The US military this month captured Mr Maduro in Caracas, ending his nearly 13-year rule and throwing the country into political turmoil. He was taken to New York where he and his wife Cilia Flores are facing drug-trafficking and weapons charges.
Mr Trump said after the couple's capture that his administration would gain greater access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and is trying to get American companies to invest $100 billion in the industry to expand its production.
On social media, the US President joked about being the “Acting President” of Venezuela. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim leader and has said she will co-operate with the Trump administration.
“Let us not be afraid of diplomacy,” she said in a speech on Thursday, while criticising the Trump administration and saying there was a “stain on our relations”.
Ms Leavitt said that Ms Rodriguez has so far “met all of the demands and requests” of the Trump administration.
His decision to back Ms Rodriguez as interim leader has drawn concern among supporters of Venezuela's opposition movement. Mr Trump has said Ms Machado does not have enough backing or respect to lead the country. Ms Leavitt on Thursday said his position on that matter had not changed.
