Washington, Jan 16 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump characterized his encounter with Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado as a “great honor”. During their private discussions at the White House, she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize.

“It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump expressed in a social media update post-meeting. “She is a remarkable woman who has endured so much.”

Machado awarded Trump her Nobel Peace Prize “for the efforts I have made,” which he described as “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.” He further added, “Thank you María!”

The lunch meeting, held in the White House’s Private Dining Room, was their first face-to-face interaction.

After the meeting, Machado shared with the press that she presented Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize medal, interpreting the gesture as a symbol of shared democratic values between Venezuela and the United States.

She recounted how, 200 years ago, French General Marquis de Lafayette gave Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolívar a medal featuring the image of George Washington, which Bolívar treasured throughout his life.

“Two hundred years of history, the people of Bolívar are returning the favor to the heir of Washington with a medal, in this case, the Nobel Peace Prize medal, recognizing his unique commitment to our freedom,” Machado stated.

The Norwegian Nobel Institute has clarified that once awarded, the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be shared, transferred, or revoked.

Post her White House visit, Machado proceeded to Capitol Hill for a bipartisan gathering with US senators led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen.

“María Corina Machado is an exceptional individual fully deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize after risking her life to instigate change in the Venezuelan government and among its populace,” Durbin remarked. Shaheen cautioned that “removing a dictator does not equate to reinstating democracy,” emphasizing that the United States must ensure Venezuela does not “merely transition from one authoritarian regime to another.”

Both Republican and Democratic senators commended Machado’s leadership and bravery, yet some criticized the Trump administration’s approach to Venezuela following Nicolas Maduro's removal.

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