By Keerthi Ramesh
In a move that blended diplomacy with a dramatic personal gesture, Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, reportedly handing him her Nobel Peace Prize medal as a symbol of gratitude for his role in the recent ousting of Nicolás Maduro.
The meeting, which lasted roughly two and a half hours, served as a notable reunion for two figures who have shared a complicated relationship since the U.S. captured Maduro on Jan. 3.
Machado was greeted by dozens of supporters gathered along Pennsylvania Avenue, while leaving the White House. she described the presentation of the medal as a “recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
“We can count on President Trump,” Machado told the crowd, pausing to hug several supporters who had waited hours in the winter cold.
READ: Trump snubbed of Nobel Peace Prize; Venezuelan activist Maria Corina Machado wins (October 10, 2026)
The gesture, however, comes with significant political expectations. The Norwegian Nobel Institute had issued a stern reminder earlier in the week that the Peace Prize is a non-transferable honor. “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the institute stated, emphasizing that the decision remains final “for all time.”
While the White House has yet to confirm whether Trump officially accepted the medal for his personal collection, the meeting marks a critical moment in the battle for Venezuela’s future. Despite Machado’s popularity among the diaspora and her status as a Nobel laureate, Trump has been hesitant to fully endorse her as the country’s next leader. In recent days, the president has expressed a preference for working with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, citing concerns that Machado may not have the necessary domestic support to stabilize the country.
President Donald J. Trump meets with María Corina Machado of Venezuela in the Oval Office, during which she presented the President with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition and honor.🕊️ pic.twitter.com/v7pYHjVNVO
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 16, 2026
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Machado a “remarkable and brave voice” but noted that the meeting was a “realistic assessment” of the situation on the ground rather than a formal shift in U.S. policy.
For Machado, the visit to Washington carried personal risk. Having lived in hiding for much of the past year to escape Maduro’s security forces, her appearance at the White House and subsequent meetings with a bipartisan group of senators on Capitol Hill signaled a move back into the global spotlight.
During her remarks to lawmakers, Machado shifted from the symbolic gesture of the medal to the practical needs of her homeland. She spoke of transforming Venezuela from a “criminal hub” into a “security shield” for the Western hemisphere through open markets and the rule of law.
As the dust settles on the meeting, the image of a Nobel laureate offering her highest honor to a sitting U.S. president remains a striking testament to the unconventional nature of modern Venezuelan American relations. Considering she was later spotted holding a Trump-branded swag bag as she left the White House — the gesture seeming minor in comparison to her gift — whether her efforts will be enough to win Trump’s full backing for her presidency remains the central question in Caracas and Washington alike.