Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gives Away Nobel Peace Prize Medal to Trump in Symbolic Gesture
In a move that has raised eyebrows among analysts, María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who received the Nobel peace prize last year for her struggle against President Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian regime, has "presented" her gold medal to US President Donald Trump. The meeting took place at the White House nearly two weeks after Trump ordered the abduction of Maduro.
Machado, whose movement is widely believed to have won Venezuela's 2024 election, had initially attempted to "share" the Nobel prize with Trump in a move that was met with skepticism by the Nobel organizers, who stated that the award could not be shared or transferred. However, Machado went ahead with her symbolic gesture, comparing it to a similar act of gift-giving done by 19th-century French statesman and Marquis de Lafayette to Venezuelan independence hero Simón Bolívar.
Machado's move appears to be an attempt to salvage her movement's waning hopes of taking power in Venezuela now that Maduro is out of the picture and behind bars in New York. Trump, on the other hand, had expressed skepticism about Machado's ability to lead the country, calling her "a very nice woman [who] … doesn't have the support or the respect within the country" to take power.
Despite this, the White House has acknowledged that Trump is committed to supporting Venezuela's transition and is open to discussing the country's future. The US president expressed his willingness to engage in a positive discussion with Machado, who he described as "a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela".
Machado's actions have been seen by some as an attempt to curry favor with Trump, who has previously expressed support for Maduro's regime. However, others have interpreted her move as a genuine attempt to build bridges between the US and Venezuelan opposition forces.
It is worth noting that Machado is not the first Nobel laureate to divest themselves of their medal. Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov auctioned his medal to raise money for Ukrainian child refugees, while American physicist Leon Lederman sold his medal after it had spent 20 years "sitting on a shelf somewhere".
The situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with Trump's decision not to back Machado after removing Maduro sparking concerns about the country's democratic future. Despite this, Rodríguez, Maduro's vice-president, has indicated that she is prepared to engage in diplomatic efforts with the US, despite Trump's recent claims that he was "running" Venezuela.
The situation remains uncertain, with many questions still unanswered about the future of Venezuela and its relations with the US and other countries. One thing is clear, however: Machado's actions have added a new layer of complexity to an already fraught situation.
In a move that has raised eyebrows among analysts, María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who received the Nobel peace prize last year for her struggle against President Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian regime, has "presented" her gold medal to US President Donald Trump. The meeting took place at the White House nearly two weeks after Trump ordered the abduction of Maduro.
Machado, whose movement is widely believed to have won Venezuela's 2024 election, had initially attempted to "share" the Nobel prize with Trump in a move that was met with skepticism by the Nobel organizers, who stated that the award could not be shared or transferred. However, Machado went ahead with her symbolic gesture, comparing it to a similar act of gift-giving done by 19th-century French statesman and Marquis de Lafayette to Venezuelan independence hero Simón Bolívar.
Machado's move appears to be an attempt to salvage her movement's waning hopes of taking power in Venezuela now that Maduro is out of the picture and behind bars in New York. Trump, on the other hand, had expressed skepticism about Machado's ability to lead the country, calling her "a very nice woman [who] … doesn't have the support or the respect within the country" to take power.
Despite this, the White House has acknowledged that Trump is committed to supporting Venezuela's transition and is open to discussing the country's future. The US president expressed his willingness to engage in a positive discussion with Machado, who he described as "a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela".
Machado's actions have been seen by some as an attempt to curry favor with Trump, who has previously expressed support for Maduro's regime. However, others have interpreted her move as a genuine attempt to build bridges between the US and Venezuelan opposition forces.
It is worth noting that Machado is not the first Nobel laureate to divest themselves of their medal. Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov auctioned his medal to raise money for Ukrainian child refugees, while American physicist Leon Lederman sold his medal after it had spent 20 years "sitting on a shelf somewhere".
The situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with Trump's decision not to back Machado after removing Maduro sparking concerns about the country's democratic future. Despite this, Rodríguez, Maduro's vice-president, has indicated that she is prepared to engage in diplomatic efforts with the US, despite Trump's recent claims that he was "running" Venezuela.
The situation remains uncertain, with many questions still unanswered about the future of Venezuela and its relations with the US and other countries. One thing is clear, however: Machado's actions have added a new layer of complexity to an already fraught situation.
... like what was she thinking? sharing the nobel peace prize with trump after he basically took Maduro out? doesn't seem too strategic at all 
... but maybe it's a desperate attempt to get support from the US, and who knows maybe it'll actually work? 
also gotta wonder if machado was trying to send a message about trump's hypocrisy on human rights or something 
Not exactly selling it on eBay like a souvenir from a vacation.
It just feels like an awkward PR stunt to me. 
. We should support her efforts, even if it's a bit unconventional. And hey, at least she's not hoarding that medal like some sort of trophy 
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she's literally giving away her Nobel medal to Trump, who's been super critical of her and her movement 
I get it, maybe it's a symbolic gesture or something, but at the same time, I don't think it's going to do much for her chances of taking power in Venezuela 
Maybe she thinks that by giving it to Trump, he'll suddenly become a fan of hers and her movement 
but honestly, I think it's just gonna make things harder for her 