‘No regrets’: Venezuela’s Machado defends giving Nobel medal to Trump | Donald Trump News
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado Presents Nobel Peace Prize to Trump
By Al Jazeera staff, AFP, and Reuters
Published April 18, 2026
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has expressed no regrets about presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump, following a meeting at the White House in January.
Machado, awarded the prestigious prize in 2025 for her advocacy for democratic rights in Venezuela, handed the medal to Trump shortly after he ordered U.S. special forces to detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. Maduro is currently imprisoned in the United States on drug trafficking charges.
At a recent conference in Madrid, Machado stated, “There is a leader in the world, a head of state in the world, who risked the lives of his country’s citizens for Venezuela’s freedom.” She emphasized that Trump’s military action to remove Maduro is a significant event for Venezuelans.
Trump described Machado’s presentation of the medal as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect.” However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awarded Machado the prize for her efforts toward a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule, clarified that the Nobel Prize is nontransferable and cannot be shared or transferred.
Machado, who fled Venezuela in December due to threats to her safety, is coordinating her return with the U.S. government, which she believes plays a vital role in fostering a democratic transition in Venezuela.
Despite her efforts, Trump has questioned Machado’s influence in Venezuela, referring to her as a “very nice woman” but asserting she lacks respect among her compatriots. He has shown support for Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former vice president, as an interim leader.
Last week, the Venezuelan opposition called for new presidential elections. Machado, previously barred from participating in the contentious 2024 election that reinstated Maduro, has not announced her plans regarding future candidacy.
During her recent visit to Spain, Machado declined an opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, citing his participation in a progressive leaders’ summit in Barcelona as a reason for the meeting being “not advisable.” Sanchez expressed willingness to meet at any time, contrasting with Machado’s more frequent interactions with his right-wing political opponents.
