Venezuelan Opposition Leader Presents Nobel Medal to Trump
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado made a bold move on Thursday. She said she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former US President Donald Trump. This gesture aimed to win over Trump, who had sidelined her since the US military operation overthrew Nicolas Maduro in January.
An Extraordinary Gesture
Machado's action followed Trump's public comments. He had claimed the Nobel Peace Prize should have gone to him instead. After the capture of Maduro, Trump refused to back Machado. Instead, he supported Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez. Trump's condition is that Rodriguez must follow Washington's line, especially regarding access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
"I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize," Machado told reporters outside the US Capitol. She met with lawmakers after having lunch with Trump at the White House. The 58-year-old leader called it "recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom."
It remains unclear if Trump actually kept the award after their closed-door meeting. The Norwegian Nobel committee states that its prizes cannot be transferred to others.
Trump's Nobel Ambitions
Trump campaigned vigorously last year to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He cited his efforts to stop eight wars as justification. However, the prize went to Machado. She appeared in Oslo last month to collect her award after a daring escape from Venezuela by boat. Machado then dedicated the prize to Trump during her acceptance.
Venezuela's opposition argues that Maduro stole the 2024 election from Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the candidate of Machado's party. Washington supports these claims. Yet Trump has stated that Machado lacks sufficient support among Venezuelans. He chose to stick with Rodriguez, a former Maduro loyalist.
Diplomatic Tensions and Oil Control
Trump and Rodriguez held their first telephone call on Wednesday. The White House said on Thursday that Trump "likes what he's seeing" with Venezuela's interim leaders. Rodriguez responded by saying her government is "not afraid" of a diplomatic clash with Washington.
"We know they are very powerful. We know they are a lethal nuclear power... We are not afraid to confront them diplomatically, through political dialogue," Rodriguez declared. She delivered Maduro's state of the nation address to parliament while the ousted leader sits in a New York jail on drug trafficking charges.
In contrast, Machado received a jubilant welcome from supporters as she left the White House. She campaigned for years to end leftist Maduro's rule. Her meeting with Trump provided an opportunity to highlight the need for a democratic transition in Venezuela.
White House Response and Ongoing Developments
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Machado as a "remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela." Leavitt noted Trump's commitment to hopefully seeing elections in Venezuela one day. However, she did not provide any specific timeline for such elections.
Since Maduro's capture, Trump has asserted that the United States will "run" Venezuela. The US exerts pressure through a naval blockade and threats of further attacks. Trump appears content to let Rodriguez remain in power as long as oil continues to flow from Venezuela.
US forces seized a sixth oil tanker on Thursday. This action is part of the campaign to control Venezuela's critical fossil fuel sector. Separately, a US official confirmed the first US-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil. The sale is worth around $500 million, though the buyer was not identified.
Rodriguez announced plans for legal reforms to Venezuela's oil sector in her speech. These reforms could change current limits on foreign entity involvement. However, she did not provide specific details about the proposed changes.
Regional Impact and Prisoner Releases
Washington has welcomed the release of dozens of political prisoners in the past week. Hundreds of prisoners, however, remain behind bars in Venezuela. The shockwaves from the US raid that toppled Maduro continue to reverberate across the region.
Cuba paid tribute on Thursday to 32 soldiers killed in the operation. Some of these soldiers were assigned to Maduro's protection team. Revolutionary leader Raul Castro attended the ceremony, highlighting the broader regional implications of the US intervention.
