Venezuela's exiled opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has declared she would 'personally' hand over her Nobel Peace Prize to former US President Donald Trump, in a remarkable diplomatic overture following claims her acceptance of the award caused significant friction.
The 'Ultimate Sin' and a Prize's Controversy
Machado was awarded the prestigious 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on October 10, recognised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for her long-standing fight against dictatorship in Venezuela. However, her win reportedly created tension with Donald Trump, who had for months argued he deserved the accolade for his role in ending several international conflicts.
According to reports from Washington insiders cited by The Washington Post, Machado's decision to accept the prize was viewed in some quarters as the 'ultimate sin' against the former President. One source claimed that had she refused the honour and publicly stated it belonged to Trump, she 'would be the president of Venezuela today' following the power vacuum created by Nicolás Maduro's kidnapping by US forces.
Machado's Public Offer to Trump
In an interview with Fox News, Machado, who has been in exile, did not dismiss the idea of relinquishing her prize. She elaborated on her initial dedication of the award to Trump, made immediately after her win was announced.
'As soon as I learned that we had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I dedicated it to Trump because I knew at that point, he deserved it,' Machado stated. She praised the operation that led to Maduro's arrest on January 3, 2026, calling it 'a huge step for humanity.'
When pressed on whether she would physically give the prize to Trump, she responded: 'It hasn’t happened yet, but I would certainly love to be able to personally tell him that we, the Venezuelan people - because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people - certainly want to give it to him and share it with him.'
Political Fallout and Venezuela's New Interim Leader
The political landscape in Venezuela shifted rapidly following Maduro's capture. His vice president and staunch ally, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as the country's interim president on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Rodríguez struck a conciliatory tone towards the United States, expressing a hope to build 'respectful relations' with Washington and inviting collaboration 'within the framework of international law.' Despite this, Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Sunday, January 4th, stating that if Rodríguez did not comply with US demands, 'she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.'
The situation leaves Machado's future, and the symbolic gesture of the Nobel Prize, as a curious subplot in the ongoing and volatile diplomatic relations between the US and Venezuela.
