"I presented the US President with a Nobel Peace medal," Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, told reporters after a private meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on 15/1. She did not disclose whether Trump accepted the gift.

The US leader has not yet commented on the matter.

Machado waves to supporters after leaving the White House on 15/1. *Photo: AP*

The Norwegian Nobel Committee previously stated that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred. It clarified that the recipient's name will be "recognized forever," even if the physical medal is given to someone else.

Machado compared her action to that of Marquis de Lafayette, the French officer who assisted America in its 18th-century war for independence against Britain. Lafayette once presented a medal featuring the first US President, George Washington, to Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan revolutionary who led early 19th-century independence movements in South America.

She emphasized that, in this instance, the Nobel Peace medal served as "recognition of his special commitment to our freedom." Machado added that, referring to her meeting with Trump at the White House, the US President understood the situation in Venezuela and cared about its people.

President Trump at a cabinet meeting in the White House on 2/12/2025. *Photo: AFP*

President Trump has publicly stated he believes he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, criticizing Norway as "silly" for not awarding him the honor. Machado had expressed her intention to present the award to Trump on 5/1, a gesture the US President called a "great honor."

Trump had previously stated he would cooperate with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez rather than Machado, despite the US recognizing the opposition as winning the 2024 election. The US President also criticized Venezuelan opposition leaders for "lacking sufficient respect" to lead the country.

Pham Giang (According to AFP)