The leader of Venezuela’s opposition, Maria Corina Machado, has presented her Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump. Machado made this announcement following a meeting with Trump at the White House, where she expressed her gratitude to the US President for recognizing her country’s sovereignty.
In a statement to the press, Machado said, “I have gifted my Nobel Peace Prize to the President of the United States as a symbol of our shared commitment to freedom and democracy.” She further stated, “Today marks a historic day for Venezuela, and I believe that we can trust President Trump to promote our nation’s interests.”
The meeting between the two leaders comes after a few weeks of Trump’s administration imposing sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and charging him with a narcotics smuggling case. Trump has accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to Machado in recognition of her efforts to promote peace and democracy in Venezuela.
In a social media post, Trump praised Machado’s gesture, calling it “a beautiful sign of mutual respect.” He also described their meeting as “a great honor.” Trump further expressed his admiration for Machado, stating that she is an “amazing woman” who has endured a lot of hardship.
However, the Oslo-based Nobel Foundation has clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be returned, revoked, or shared with anyone. The foundation stated that the award is a permanent and irreversible recognition of the recipient’s achievements.
Despite the Nobel Foundation’s clarification, White House officials have confirmed that Trump is now the owner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
