Trump to Host Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado at White House
White House Confirms Meeting
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado is scheduled to meet former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. A White House official confirmed the meeting on Monday, highlighting renewed attention on Venezuela’s political future.
The visit comes weeks after a major U.S. operation in Caracas led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. U.S. authorities later transferred them to the United States to face criminal charges.
Past Tensions and Nobel Prize Offer
Despite agreeing to the meeting, Trump has not endorsed Machado as Venezuela’s leader. In earlier remarks, he said she lacked sufficient support and respect within the country to govern effectively.
Machado has said she hopes to personally thank Trump for his actions against Maduro. She also expressed a desire to give or share her Nobel Peace Prize with him as a gesture of appreciation. Trump described the offer as “a great honor.”
However, the Nobel Committee has clarified that Peace Prizes cannot be transferred or shared after they are awarded.
U.S. Position and Leadership Dispute
While hosting Machado, Trump’s administration continues to support Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, as Venezuela’s interim leader. Rodríguez has insisted that Venezuela remains fully sovereign and is not governed by any foreign power.
Machado and her political allies strongly disagree. They argue that her coalition should lead the country and claim Rodríguez does not have the trust of the Venezuelan people.
As the meeting approaches, analysts say it could help clarify Washington’s stance on Venezuela’s leadership and the country’s path forward.
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