Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, sparking confusion over what this means for her bid to take over Venezuela.
Machado stated that she gave the prize "as a recognition of his unique commitment with our freedom." Trump confirmed that he received the award and said it was an honor to meet Machado.
However, the Nobel Institute has clarified that Machado cannot give her prize to Trump, highlighting the symbolic gesture. This move stands in contrast to Trump's willingness to work with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez.
Machado told reporters after leaving the White House that she had spent hours at the White House meeting with Trump and had a "frank and positive discussion about what's taking place in Venezuela."
However, she didn't provide more information on what was said during the meeting. Machado has long been the face of resistance in Venezuela but has faced opposition from Trump, who has questioned her credibility to take over the country.
Machado had sought the face-to-face meeting with Trump without setting expectations for what would occur and spent about two and a half hours at the White House.
She also attended a closed-door meeting with a bipartisan group of senators where she stated that if there wasn't some progress towards a transition in power and/or elections in Venezuela, lawmakers should be worried.
Machado stated that she gave the prize "as a recognition of his unique commitment with our freedom." Trump confirmed that he received the award and said it was an honor to meet Machado.
However, the Nobel Institute has clarified that Machado cannot give her prize to Trump, highlighting the symbolic gesture. This move stands in contrast to Trump's willingness to work with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez.
Machado told reporters after leaving the White House that she had spent hours at the White House meeting with Trump and had a "frank and positive discussion about what's taking place in Venezuela."
However, she didn't provide more information on what was said during the meeting. Machado has long been the face of resistance in Venezuela but has faced opposition from Trump, who has questioned her credibility to take over the country.
Machado had sought the face-to-face meeting with Trump without setting expectations for what would occur and spent about two and a half hours at the White House.
She also attended a closed-door meeting with a bipartisan group of senators where she stated that if there wasn't some progress towards a transition in power and/or elections in Venezuela, lawmakers should be worried.
... I mean, yeah sure, it was a cool symbolic gesture, but like what's the real agenda here? 
Trump seems kinda down with working with Delcy Rodriguez, which is pretty different from supporting Machado. And now that the Nobel Institute is all like "nope, no giving out awards to politicians", did Machado just get punk'd 
? I'm not sure if this whole thing is about getting attention or actually achieving something in Venezuela... maybe she's just trying to stir up some drama 
. Like, does she really believe the guy who's been, you know, kinda kinda working with the Venezuelan government is going to help her take over? Meanwhile, Trump's just being his usual diplomatic self, and Machado gets all the attention 
. It's like she thought a fancy award would be enough to get her on Trump's good side 
. Can't wait to see what this whole situation turns out to be
. I mean, if she was just gonna hand it out like a candy, why even go through the motions of meeting with him in the first place? 
Is Trump trying to position himself as a key player in Venezuela's transition, or is Machado just trying to get her name out there and boost her credibility with lawmakers? 
Either way, this whole thing feels like a power struggle waiting to happen 
. And let's be real, what does it say about the US's stance on Venezuela that Trump is even meeting with Machado in the first place? 
I'm so inspired by Maria Corina Machado's bravery! She really showed that even in the darkest times, we can still hold on to hope for a better future 
. Giving her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump was a bold move, and I love how she framed it as a recognition of his commitment to freedom - it's all about perspective, right? 
It's not about politics or power struggles; it's about people like Machado who care deeply about making a difference. Let's keep sending positive vibes her way and hope for a brighter future for Venezuela! 
