After the meeting at the White House, Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, informed the press that she had "presented" her medal to Trump in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the fight for freedom. She also noted that the meeting was successful and her supporters can count on support from the U.S. president.
Donald Trump highly appreciated this gesture and stated: "Maria presented me with the Nobel Peace Prize for my work. It was a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!" he wrote on social media.
According to a source in the White House, Trump plans to keep the medal.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt added that, in the president's opinion, Machado does not have sufficient support to govern the country in the near future.
Earlier, on January 9, Trump expressed a desire on CNN to discuss with Machado the possibilities of her involvement in governing Venezuela after the overthrow of Maduro. "She could be involved in some aspects of this process. I need to talk to her, and I'm glad she wants to come," he said.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute, which is responsible for awarding the Peace Prize, denied on January 9 the information that a laureate could transfer the award to another person. "Once the Nobel Prize is awarded, it cannot be revoked, divided, or transferred. This decision is final and remains in effect forever," the institute emphasized.
Previously, Machado had expressed a desire to transfer her prize to Trump or share it with him. This occurred after Trump rejected the proposal to appoint her as the interim leader of Venezuela, which, according to information from The Washington Post, was related to her refusal to transfer the Nobel Peace Prize to Trump.
