Former Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has reportedly presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House. Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her campaign against the Maduro regime, said the gesture was made “in recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom.” It remains unclear whether Trump accepted the medal, as Nobel Committee rules prohibit the transfer of the prize.
Machado described the meeting as a “historic day for Venezuelans,” telling supporters gathered outside the White House that they could “count on President Trump.” She said Trump understood the suffering of the Venezuelan people and was committed to securing the release of political prisoners.
Large crowds of Venezuelan supporters waited outside the White House, celebrating the diplomatic engagement. Ahead of the meeting, speculation had circulated that Machado might offer Trump the medal, particularly after Trump had publicly expressed interest in winning the Nobel Peace Prize himself.
Machado’s political movement was widely believed to have won Venezuela’s 2024 election before then-president Nicolás Maduro rejected the results. Maduro was later captured by U.S. forces during a raid on January 3. Since his capture, Trump has maintained direct contact with Venezuela’s acting head of state, Delcy Rodríguez, rather than formally backing Machado. This position was confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said Trump continued to question Machado’s viability as a national leader.
In recent weeks, Rodríguez has overseen the release of several political prisoners, a move widely seen as an attempt to improve relations with Washington. Trump said he had held an extended call with Rodríguez and signaled that ties were improving, suggesting a preference for engaging with the interim leadership rather than the traditional opposition.
Machado’s meeting with Trump coincided with the release of footage showing U.S. forces boarding a Venezuelan oil tanker operating in violation of U.S. sanctions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Motor Tanker Veronica breached a U.S.-imposed maritime quarantine in the Caribbean. Video released by U.S. Southern Command showed marines and sailors deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford to seize the vessel. The Veronica is the sixth tanker intercepted as part of efforts to restrict Venezuela’s oil exports.
Republican officials have characterized the tanker seizures as part of an economic stabilization strategy aimed at rebuilding Venezuela’s collapsed oil industry. Trump reportedly met with oil executives last week to discuss potential investments of up to $100 billion, with projected sales of 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil.
Machado’s whereabouts had remained unknown since she went underground last year following a brief detention in Caracas. She reappeared publicly in Oslo in December, where her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize medal on her behalf.
