Venezuelan diplomat Machado returns Trumps Nobel Peace Prize

US President Donald Trump Met with Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado at White House

In a recent visit to the White House, US President Donald Trump met with Maria Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela’s opposition party Vente Venezuela. The meeting took place two weeks after US special forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.

Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize, which she had recently won for her work promoting democratic rights in Venezuela. The prize was awarded to her by the Nobel Committee for her tireless efforts to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Trump accepted the award and expressed his gratitude to Machado, stating that it was an honor to meet her. He also posted on his Truth Social platform, thanking Machado for presenting him with the prize.

Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition movement, having won the country’s presidential primary in 2023. However, she was barred from running for office by Venezuela’s top court due to allegations of supporting US sanctions and being linked to a weapons plot.

Despite this setback, Machado continued to campaign for her party’s candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who ultimately won the election. Maduro retained his presidential seat, despite widespread accusations of fraud.

Machado secretly left Venezuela in December to collect her Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to her by the Nobel Committee. The prize is considered a significant recognition of her work promoting democratic rights and peaceful transition in Venezuela.

The meeting between Trump and Machado has sparked interest in how the US president’s actions may impact Venezuela’s future.

Source: Al Jazeera