Washington, Jan 16 (NationPress) Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado disclosed that she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump during a private meeting at the White House. She positioned this act as a significant emblem of the mutual struggle for freedom shared by both nations.

“I gave the President of the United States the Nobel Peace Prize medal,” Machado expressed to reporters in Washington following their meeting.

She recounted to Trump a historical incident from two centuries past, where French General Marquis de Lafayette bestowed a medal featuring the image of George Washington to Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolivar.

“Two hundred years ago, the people of Bolivar return a medal to the heir of Washington, specifically the Nobel Peace Prize medal as a token of acknowledgment for his exceptional dedication to our freedom,” Machado stated.

The lunch meeting occurred in the Private Dining Room of the White House, representing the first face-to-face interaction between Trump and Machado. Prior to the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the president was “eager for this meeting” and anticipated “a constructive conversation.”

She portrayed Machado as “a remarkable and courageous voice for many in Venezuela,” noting that Trump was enthusiastic about receiving her insights on “the realities on the ground in the country and current events.”

Leavitt also highlighted that the administration has consistently engaged with Venezuela’s interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez, remarking that US officials found them “extremely cooperative.” She referenced a $500 million energy agreement and the liberation of political detainees, including five Americans, as indicators of this cooperation.

It remains uncertain if Trump officially accepted the Nobel medal. The Norwegian Nobel Institute has previously clarified that once awarded, a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or rescinded.

Machado’s visit to the White House coincided with mixed signals from Trump regarding her political future. Earlier this month, he remarked to reporters that it would be “very challenging” for her to lead Venezuela, stating she “lacks support and respect within the country.”

The president has also publicly commended Rodríguez, labeling her a “terrific person” following a recent phone conversation, even as legislators from both parties urged continued US support for a democratic shift in Venezuela.

After her meeting at the White House, Machado proceeded to Capitol Hill for a bipartisan session with US senators, facilitated by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen.

“María Corina Machado is an extraordinary individual deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize for risking her life to instigate change in the Venezuelan government and its people,” Durbin remarked. Shaheen cautioned that “dismantling a dictatorship does not equate to restoring democracy,” emphasizing the need for the United States to ensure Venezuela does not merely transition from one authoritarian regime to another.

Senators from both parties applauded Machado’s leadership and bravery, while some criticized the Trump administration’s approach to Venezuela following Nicolás Maduro's ousting.

Machado’s visit to the US followed a private audience earlier this week with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where she sought his intervention for the release of political prisoners. She publicly re-emerged in December after 11 months in hiding to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.