International

Maria Corina Machado dedicates Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, said she was dedicating the award to President Donald Trump for his support.

"This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to see our task through: the conquest of freedom. We are on the threshold of victory, and today, more than ever, we count on Mr Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve freedom and democracy. I dedicate this award to the suffering people of Venezuela and to Mr Trump for his decisive support of our cause!" Maria Corina Machado wrote on X.

Mr Trump spoke to Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado

President Donald Trump spoke on Friday with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, after his administration previously criticised the committee that granted her the distinction, CNN reported.

Machado told the Spanish newspaper El País that she spoke with the former US President but declined to offer details about their conversation. The opposition leader, as she had also done in her acceptance message for the award, expressed her gratitude to Mr Trump. She dedicated the award to "the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Donald Trump for his decisive support of the cause."

In a statement late Friday, Mr Trump confirmed he spoke with Ms Machado, adding that she was "very nice" during the call.

"The person who actually received the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, 'I am accepting this award in your honor, because you really deserved it.' It was a very nice gesture. I didn't say, 'Then give it to me,' although I think maybe she would have. She was very nice. I helped her along the way. They need a lot of help in Venezuela, it's a total disaster. So, you could also say that the award was given for 2024, and I was running in 2024," the US President said, after having previously thanked Russian leader Vladimir Putin for criticising the Nobel Committee's decision and having praised the US leader's peace efforts, despite his failure to end the war in Ukraine.

Shortly after the Nobel Prize announcement, the White House issued a negative statement. "The Nobel Committee showed it put politics above peace," said White House Communications Director Steven Cheung in a social media post.

Russian President criticised Nobel Peace Prize decision

Mr Trump on Friday thanked his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after Mr Putin criticised the Nobel Peace Prize Committee's decision to award the Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado.

"There have been cases where the committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to people who did nothing for peace," Mr Putin said at a press conference in Tajikistan, adding that such choices have damaged the award's prestige.

Mr Trump responded on his social media network, Truth Social, with "Thank you, Mr President Putin!", attaching excerpts from the Russian leader's statements, including his praise for the former US President for "solving complex crises that have lasted for decades," referring to the Gaza peace agreement.

Mr Putin told reporters at a press conference in Tajikistan that Mr Trump "is certainly making efforts and working on these issues – on achieving peace and solving complex international problems. The clearest example of this is the situation in the Middle East."

"I don't know whether the current US President deserves the Nobel Prize or not. But he is truly making considerable efforts to resolve complex crises that have dragged on for years, even decades," the Kremlin leader added.

European leaders congratulate Maria Corina Machado

Meanwhile, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, sent congratulatory messages to the Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado.

"This award honours not only your courage and conviction, but also every voice that refuses to be silenced. In Venezuela and around the world. It sends a strong message: the spirit of freedom cannot be imprisoned, the thirst for democracy always prevails. Dear Maria, the struggle continues," Ursula von der Leyen wrote on the X platform.

"Your tireless struggle for freedom and democracy in Venezuela has moved and inspired millions of people around the world. That is why the European Parliament was honoured to award you the Sakharov Prize in 2024," Roberta Metsola wrote in a message on X.

María Corina Machado: Venezuelan opposition voice wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

This year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on October 10 to Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado for "her tireless work in defending the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people." The announcement was made in Oslo by the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jørgen Watne Frydnes.

Ms Machado, one of the main figures of the democratic opposition in Venezuela, was recognised by the committee for "the courage and consistency with which she has defended the values of freedom and democracy, in the face of political repression and human rights violations."

In 2025, 338 candidates were registered for the Nobel Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations. Comparatively, 286 candidates were nominated in 2024, and the historical record was reached in 2016, with 376 nominations.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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