Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has credited U.S. President Donald Trump with helping sustain Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement, dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to him and to the Venezuelan people. After nearly a year in hiding, Machado reemerged publicly in Oslo, Norway, where her daughter accepted the award on her behalf.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Machado emphasized Trump’s importance during a period when many Venezuelans believed the international community had turned its attention elsewhere.
“I am absolutely grateful to President Trump for every gesture, every signal and every moment that he has stood with the Venezuelan people. I have watched it very closely, and I know what it has meant for those who are fighting to reclaim democracy and freedom in our country,” she said.
Machado described Venezuela’s democratic resurgence as closer than at any time in recent years.
“A free and democratic Venezuela is not only possible — it is closer than ever. And that free Venezuela is breathing louder than ever before,” she said, adding that her Nobel Peace Prize is dedicated to both Venezuelan citizens and to Trump.
“This Nobel Prize is symbolic of that fight for freedom and is dedicated to the Venezuelan people and to President Trump for showing what strong leadership looks like in the moments that matter most.”
According to an official familiar with the situation, Machado hopes to travel to the United States to meet Trump and formally honor him for what she views as his steadfast support.
A Dramatic Reemergence After Months Underground
Machado appeared in public for the first time in 11 months after going underground in Caracas. Her disappearance followed a brief detention during an anti-government demonstration and a period of intensified pressure from Nicolás Maduro’s regime. As supporters gathered outside her hotel in Oslo, she waved from a balcony — an image that quickly circulated across international media.
Her return coincided with the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, where her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, collected the award in her stead.
Blocked From the Ballot, but Still the Opposition’s Leading Figure
Machado was barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election despite winning the opposition primary in a landslide, a move widely condemned by Western governments.
Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, emphasized Machado’s continued political strength even after her disqualification. “Machado remains the most popular political figure in Venezuela,” Vigil said, noting that she secured “over 90% of the vote” in the primary before being sidelined.
According to Vigil, that popularity ultimately sealed Machado’s fate. “She became a real threat… and so they disqualified her from running.”
Machado ultimately endorsed Edmundo González, who independent tallies indicated won the election. However, Venezuela’s Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro the victor and inaugurated him for another term, deepening the country’s political crisis.
Machado has signaled her intention to return to Venezuela when conditions permit, maintaining her call for a peaceful transition away from Maduro’s rule.
Context: Trump’s Longstanding Public Push for a Nobel Prize
Machado’s dedication carries additional symbolic weight because President Trump has repeatedly and publicly sought recognition from the Nobel Committee. Throughout his presidency, Trump has argued that his foreign-policy moves — from Middle East negotiations to pressure campaigns in Latin America — deserved Nobel consideration. He has frequently complained that the Nobel Committee overlooked him for ideological reasons, even as he was nominated multiple times by foreign legislators.
Trump’s supporters have embraced the Nobel narrative as part of his broader international legacy, while his critics have dismissed his claims as self-promotion.
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