Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has told reporters that she presented the medal for her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump at a private White House meeting on Thursday, but did not say if he accepted it.
“I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans,” she said after meeting Trump, the first time the two have met in-person.
In the weeks after US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Trump has declined to endorse Machado, whose movement claimed victory in 2024’s widely contested elections, as its new leader.
He is instead dealing with the acting head of state there, Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice-president.
After leaving the White House, Machado spoke to supporters gathered at the gates outside, telling them in Spanish, according to the Associated Press: “We can count on President Trump.”
“I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado later told journalists in English, calling it “a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom”.
It is not clear whether Trump accepted the award. Trump, who often speaks about his desire to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, had expressed displeasure when it was given to Machado and she decided to accept the honour last year.
Machado said last week that she would share it with Trump, but the Nobel Committee later clarified that it was not transferable.
In her remarks, Machado described the story of military general who fought in America’s Revolutionary War who had gifted a medal to Simon Bolivar, one of the founding father’s of modern Venezuela.
The medal was given “as a sign of the brotherhood between the United States, the people of the United States, and the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom against tyranny,” Machado said.
“And two hundred years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal – in this case a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize – as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
Machado also visited Congress to meet US senators during her visit to Washington, where her remarks to reporters were drowned out by supporters chanting “María, presidente” and waving Venezuelan flags.
Machado had been expected use her time with Trump to try to persuade him that backing Rodríguez’s interim government was a mistake, and that her opposition coalition should be in charge of this transition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters as the meeting was underway on Thursday that Machado is “a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela”.
“The president was looking forward to this meeting and expecting a frank and positive discussion,” Leavitt said. “He wants to hear directly from Ms Machado about the realities on the ground in Venezuela and what is taking place in the country.”
Trump has previously described her as a “freedom fighter”, but rejected the notion of appointing her to lead Venezuela after Maduro’s removal, arguing that she lacks sufficient domestic sup.
Since Maduro was seized on 3 January, the Trump administration has moved quickly to remake Venezuela’s oil sector, which had been under US sanctions. On Wednesday an American official said the US had completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500m (£373m).
A Venezuelan government envoy, too, is expected to travel to Washington on Thursday to meet US officials and take initial steps toward reopening the country’s embassy, the New York Times reported.
The emissary is reported to be a close ally and friend of Rodríguez, who has been described as “extremely co-operative” by the White House.
Rodríguez delivered the annual Message to the Nation speech in Caracas on Thursday, in which she said she was willing to attend meetings in Washington as well.
“If I ever have to go to Washington as acting president, I will do so standing tall, walking, and not crawling,” she said, calling on the country to “not be afraid of diplomacy” with the US.
Trump and Rodríguez also spoke by phone on Wednesday, with Trump later describing his counterpart on social media as “a terrific person”. Rodríguez, meanwhile, described the call as “productive and courteous” and characterised by “mutual respect.”
