Machado shows Trump her leadership creds—a Nobel
WASHINGTON—Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, after he had earlier questioned her credibility to take over her country after the United States ousted then President Nicolás Maduro.
“I presented the president of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado told reporters after leaving the White House and heading to Capitol Hill. She said she had done so “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
Before Thursday’s meeting, the Nobel Institute had also said Machado could not give her prize to Trump, an honor that he has coveted.
Even if the gesture proves to be purely symbolic, it was extraordinary given that Trump had effectively sidelined Machado, who had long been the face of resistance in Venezuela. After Maduro’s ouster, Trump signaled his willingness to work with acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who had been Maduro’s second in command.
‘Wonderful woman’
Trump confirmed later on social media that Machado had left the medal for him to keep and said it was an honor to meet her.
“She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” Trump said in his post. “Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”
The White House later posted a photo of Machado standing next to Trump in the Oval Office as he holds the medal in a large frame. A text in the frame reads, “Presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”
Trump has raised doubts about his stated commitment to backing democratic rule in Venezuela, giving no timetable on when elections might be held.
Machado indicated he had provided few specifics on that front during their discussion. But she did not provide more information on what was said.
After the closed-door meeting, Machado greeted dozens of cheering supporters waiting for her near the White House gates, stopping to hug many.
“We can count on President Trump,” she told them without elaborating, prompting some to briefly chant, “Thank you, Trump.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Machado “a remarkable and brave voice” but also said the meeting didn’t mean Trump’s opinion of her has changed, calling it “a realistic assessment.”
Leavitt told reporters that Trump supported new Venezuelan elections “when the time is right” but did not say when he thought that might be.
She said Machado had sought the face-to-face meeting without setting expectations for what would occur.
Machado spent about two and a half hours at the White House before heading to a closed-door meeting with a bipartisan group of senators.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said Machado told them “if there’s not some progress, real progress towards a transition in power, and/or elections in the next several months, we should all be worried.”
“She reminded us that Delcy Rodríguez is, in many ways, worse than Maduro,” he added.
