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Maria Corina Machado draws global attention after presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Donald Trump at the White House.

Former Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has drawn international attention after presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House.

Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her long-running campaign against Venezuela’s former Maduro government, said the gesture was meant to acknowledge Trump’s support for Venezuela’s push for freedom. 

It remains unclear whether Trump formally accepted the medal, as Nobel rules do not allow the prize to be transferred.

Speaking after the meeting, Machado described the encounter as a historic moment for Venezuelans. 

She told supporters gathered outside the White House that they could rely on Trump, saying he understood the hardship faced by ordinary Venezuelans and was committed to pushing for the release of political prisoners.

Outside the building, Venezuelan supporters waited and celebrated the meeting, viewing it as a sign of renewed international attention to their country’s crisis.

Speculation had grown ahead of the visit over whether Machado would present the medal, especially following Trump’s past public comments expressing interest in winning the Nobel Peace Prize himself.

Machado’s political movement was widely believed to have won Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election before the results were rejected by then-leader Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro was later captured by U.S. forces during a January 3 raid, a development that reshaped Venezuela’s political landscape.

Despite the meeting with Machado, Trump has maintained direct communication with Venezuela’s acting head of state, Delcy Rodríguez. 

The White House confirmed that Trump still questioned Machado’s ability to lead the country, preferring to engage with the current acting leadership.

In recent weeks, Rodríguez has overseen the release of several political prisoners, a move widely seen as an effort to improve relations with Washington. 

Trump has said discussions with Rodríguez were progressing positively, signaling a shift toward diplomatic engagement rather than backing a single opposition figure.

The meeting also coincided with the release of footage showing U.S. forces seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker accused of violating U.S. sanctions. 

American officials said the operation was part of a wider effort to enforce maritime restrictions on sanctioned vessels linked to Venezuela’s oil trade.

Machado’s location had remained unknown for months after she went underground following a brief detention in Caracas. 

She reappeared publicly in December in Oslo, where her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize medal on her behalf.