Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado will meet President Donald Trump on Thursday, the White House has confirmed.
The visit comes just weeks after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized in Caracas by U.S. forces. However, Trump has not endorsed Machado, whose movement claimed victory in the widely contested elections of 2024, instead backing former vice-president Delcy Rodríguez.
Machado expressed her desire to thank Trump personally for the U.S. actions against Maduro and even suggested giving him her Nobel Prize as a token of appreciation, although the Nobel Committee clarified that such an honor cannot be transferred.
Previously, Trump had voiced his displeasure over Machado's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, an accolade he aspires to obtain. When asked whether her receiving the prize could alter his view of her role in Venezuela, he hinted at the need for further discussions.
Regarding Machado's leadership, Trump remarked earlier this month that she lacks respect within Venezuela, while stressing that the U.S. has supported Rodríguez as the interim president, a leader described as an ally who has cooperated with U.S. interests.
Machado, however, asserts that her coalition is the rightful authority in Venezuela and criticized Rodríguez, labeling her as a primary architect of repression in the country. She emphasized that her public image is well-known and that her coalition has widespread support.
As the political situation evolves, Machado characterized U.S. military intervention as a vital step towards reinstating democracy in Venezuela, asserting that the Venezuelan government does not bow to foreign influence contrary to claims made by Trump.
