Here’s what could happen next.
Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado said she hopes to share her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize with President Donald Trump, saying his leadership helped spark a major shift in her nation’s future.
During an appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Machado described the award as a symbol of gratitude from the Venezuelan people—many of whom, she said, believe U.S. leadership played a decisive role in ending decades of authoritarian rule.
“I would love to tell President Trump personally that this prize belongs to the Venezuelan people,” Machado said. “And we want to share it with him.”
A Historic Moment for Venezuela
Machado has long supported President Trump’s tough stance against Venezuela’s socialist government, arguing that years of international diplomacy and compromise failed to stop the country’s collapse. She dedicated the Nobel Prize to Venezuelans who endured political repression, economic devastation, and forced exile.
Her comments follow the stunning arrest of longtime Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who was taken into custody by U.S. forces earlier this week. The operation marked a dramatic shift in U.S. involvement in the region and sparked immediate global reaction.
In the aftermath, Venezuela’s high court named Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim leader. President Trump later stated that the United States would temporarily oversee stability efforts to prevent further chaos while an orderly transition is arranged.
“We don’t want to see Venezuela fall back into the same cycle it’s been trapped in for years,” Trump said during a weekend press conference.
Disputed Elections and Years in Hiding
Machado previously won Venezuela’s opposition primary but was barred from appearing on the general election ballot by the Maduro government. She later backed opposition candidate Edmundo González.
Although Maduro claimed victory in the July 2024 election, multiple international observers questioned the credibility of the results, citing irregularities in the released data.
Following the election, Machado spent more than a year in hiding inside Venezuela before resurfacing last month in Oslo, where her daughter accepted the Nobel Prize on her behalf.
Looking Ahead
Now, Machado says she intends to return to Venezuela as soon as conditions allow.
“I’m planning to go back as soon as possible,” she told Hannity. “Every day I ask myself where I can be most useful for our cause.”
For many conservative Americans, the moment represents more than international recognition. Supporters view it as a rare acknowledgment of President Trump’s foreign policy approach—one that emphasized strength, pressure, and results over endless negotiations.
Whether history ultimately agrees, the Nobel moment has already cemented Trump’s role in one of the most dramatic geopolitical developments of the decade.