María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is set to visit the U.S. next week, where she is expected to share the coveted award with Donald Trump. But can the Venezuelan leader actually give away the prize?
The Venezuelan opposition leader made global headlines this month when she offered to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump — a gesture tied to recent geopolitical events and the Republican leader’s long-standing pursuit of the accolade.
“I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe, the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people, certainly want to give it to him, and share it with him,” she told Fox news. The interview took place after the US military-led operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Maria had hailed the removal of Maduro “as a great victory for humanity”.
Machado has been operating from an undisclosed location since 2024 after she started receiving threats from Maduro’s regime.
Reacting to Maria’s offer, Trump told Fox News in an interview that it would be a great honour to receive a Nobel Peace prize from a recipient. “I understand she wants to do that. That would be a great honour,” he said.
Why is Maduro giving Trump her Nobel?
Maria won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, for which Donald Trump was in contention on 10 October 2025 for advocating democratic rights and peaceful political transition in Venezuela.
In her interview with Foxnews, Maria said she would love to personally give or share her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump, stating that the prize belongs to the Venezuelan people who want to give it to him and share it with him.
As per a NYT report, the US attack on Venezuela resulted in the death of at least 70 Venezuelans and Cubans.
What did the Nobel Committee say?
Following Maria’s announcement, the Nobel committee issued a statement saying that the Nobel prize can not be shared, revoked or transferred.
“Once the announcement of the laureate(s) has been made, the decision stands for all time,” the statement read, noting however that the laureate was free to do what they pleased with the prize money.
Earlier this week, when Maduro’s former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as the interim leader of Venezuela, Trump had said that Maria does not have the respect or support within Venezuela to lead the country.
Commenting on Maria’s visit next week, Trump said she will be in Washington next week to “pay her regards to our country, really to me, but you know I’m a representative of the country, nothing else”.
Trump on elections in Venezuela
In his interview, Trump further told the Fox news host that Venezuela was not in a position to hold fresh elections. “We have to rebuild the country. They couldn’t have an election. They wouldn’t even know how to have an election right now,” he said.
The meeting would be the first between the US president and Maria, who disguised (like a wig), navigated numerous military checkpoints in her own country, and then a private plane to Norway to accept her Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025. The clandestine mission, aided by US special forces, got her out of hiding and to Norway just after the main ceremony.