The prestigious Norwegian Nobel Institute has issued a firm statement, clarifying that a Nobel Peace Prize, once awarded, is a permanent honour that cannot be passed on to another person. This declaration comes in response to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado expressing her desire to give or share her recently awarded prize with former US President Donald Trump.
Nobel Committee's Unwavering Stance
On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Institute released a short but definitive statement addressing the speculation. The organisation made it clear that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be revoked, transferred, or shared with others after its announcement. "The decision is final and stands for all time," the institute stated, putting an end to the discussion about the prize changing hands.
Machado's Gesture and Trump's Reaction
The controversy began when Maria Corina Machado, in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday, said she wished to personally offer the prize to Donald Trump. She credited Trump for overseeing the US operation that led to the capture of Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, who now faces drug trafficking charges in New York.
"I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe - the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people - certainly want to, to give it to him and share it with him," Machado told Hannity. She described Trump's actions as "historic" and "a huge step towards a democratic transition" for Venezuela. Machado had initially dedicated her prize to Trump and the Venezuelan people shortly after the award was announced.
Political Complexities in Venezuela's Future
Despite Machado's generous offer and her status as a Nobel laureate, Donald Trump's vision for Venezuela's governance appears to differ. Trump has publicly backed acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who served as vice president under the captured Nicolas Maduro, to lead the country in the interim. While referring to Machado as a "very nice woman," Trump suggested she currently lacks the necessary support within Venezuela to govern effectively.
In a subsequent interview with Sean Hannity on Thursday, Trump acknowledged Machado's planned visit to the US next week and mentioned that her potential Peace Prize offering would be a "great honour." The former US President has openly expressed his own desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize since returning to office.
The Nobel Institute's ruling firmly closes the chapter on the possibility of prize transfer, reinforcing the sanctity and permanence of the award as originally bestowed.
