I presented the President of the United States the medal
. Of the Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader
Maria Corina Machado said she presented US President Donald Trump
with her Nobel Peace Prize during a meeting at the
White House on Thursday. Machado spoke after finishing separate
meetings with Trump and US senators, where she was
met by a large crowd of media and supporters.
Earlier, she said her meeting with Trump went very
well. Machado, who fled Venezuela in December,
is competing for Trump's ear with members of Venezuela's government
and seeking to ensure she has a role in governing
the nation going forward. She was banned from running
in Venezuela's 2024 presidential election. By a top court
that was stacked with allies of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro
. While he claimed victory, outside observers widely believed
Edmundo Gonzalez, an opposition figure backed by Machado,
won more votes by a substantial margin. But as
their meeting was taking place, White House Press Secretary
Caroline Leavitt said Trump stood by his assessment that she
did not have the support needed to lead the country
in the short term. And at this moment in
time, his opinion on that matter has not.
Changed. Trump has on several occasions praised Dulcie Rodriguez
, Maduro's second in command, who became Venezuela's president
after the US captured Maduro in a snatch and grab
operation this month. Levitt said that so far Rodriguez
has been cooperating. Uh, Venezuela and Ms.
Rodriguez have also confirmed that they will be releasing political
prisoners from Venezuela. There were 5 Americans who were
recently released this week as well, so, uh
, the president. He likes what he's seeing and
will expect that cooperation to continue. While the current
government has freed dozens of political prisoners in recent days
, outside groups and advocates have said the scale of
the releases has been exaggerated by Caracas. Separately in
Venezuela, Rodriguez spoke in an annual presidential address to
lawmakers. She said she would propose reforms to her
country's oil industry as investors in the US push for
easier access to it.