Venezuelaâs Machado presents her Nobel medal to Trump
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has presented Donald Trump with her Nobel peace prize medal in recognition of his “commitment to the freedom”.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says she has presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump during a high-stakes encounter that could affect how the US president âseeks to shape the South American countryâs political future.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump had accepted the medal.
But Machado, who described Thursdayâs meeting as âexcellent,â told reporters she had done â so in recognition of his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.
Her gesture appeared to be part of her effort to gain influence over the future direction of her country. Trump openly campaigned for the prize before Machado was awarded it in December.
Even if Machado gave Trump her medal, the honour remains hers. The Norwegian Nobel Institute has said the prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked. Asked on Wednesday if he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump told Reuters: âNo, I didnât say that. She won âthe Nobel Peace Prize.â
You might like
The lunch meeting, which appeared to last slightly over an hour, marked the first time the two have met in âperson.
Machado then met with more than a dozen senators, both Republican and Democratic, on Capitol Hill, where she has generally found more enthusiastic allies.
While the visit was ongoing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been looking forward to meeting Machado, but that he stood by his ârealisticâ assessment that she did not currently have the support needed to lead the country in the short term.
Machado, who fled Venezuela in a daring seaborne escape in December, is competing for Trumpâs ear with members of Venezuelaâs government and seeking to ensure âshe has a role in governing the nation going forward.
Stay informed, daily
After the US captured Venezuelaâs longtime âleader, Nicolas Maduro, in a snatch-and-grab operation on January 3, various opposition figures, members of Venezuelaâs diaspora and politicians throughout the United States and Latin America have expressed hope that Venezuela will begin the process of democratisation.
âI know âthe president was looking forward to this meeting, and he was expecting it to be a good and positive discussion with Miss Machado, who is really a âremarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela,â Leavitt told reporters during a briefing as the meeting was ongoing.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, one of the senators who met with Machado, said the opposition leader had told senators that repression in Venezuela was no different ânow âthan under Maduro.
Venezuelaâs interim President Delcy Rodriguez is a âsmooth operatorâ who âwas growing more entrenched by the day thanks to Trumpâs support, he said.
âI hope âelections happen, but Iâm sceptical,â said Murphy, of Connecticut.
Trump has said he is focused on securing US access to the countryâs oil and economically rebuilding Venezuela. Trump has on several occasions praised Rodriguez, Maduroâs second-in-command, who became Venezuelaâs leader upon his capture.
In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Trump said, âsheâs been very good to deal withâ.
Separately in Venezuela, Rodriguez said she would propose reforms to her countryâs oil industry.
Machado was banned from running in Venezuelaâs 2024 presidential election by a top court stacked with Maduro allies. Outside observers widely believe Edmundo Gonzalez, an opposition figure backed by Machado, won by a substantial margin, but Maduro claimed victory and retained power.
While the current government has freed dozens of political prisoners in recent days, outside âgroups and advocates have said the scale of the releases has been exaggerated by Caracas.
Want to see more stories from InDaily Qld in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily Qld as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily Qld". That's it.
