Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, crowned the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate on Friday, used her first public remarks after the announcement to underline the role she says US President Donald Trump has in backing Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement.
In a post on X on Friday, Machado said that “more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.”
Machado’s remarks came amid global headlines around Donald Trump missing out of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, for which he was lobbying for the past few months.
In his first reaction to the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize announcement, Donald Trump reshared Machado’s post on his Truth Social account.
Machado dedicates prize to Trump
This is not the first time Machado has praised US President Donald Trump; the Venezuelan leader has taken several opportunities in the past to thank Trump’s efforts in promoting democracy in the Latin American nation.
Previously, she called aspects of his Venezuela policy “courageous” and “visionary,” remarks that commentators say reflect her hope that increased US pressure can hasten democratic change in Caracas.
Resharing Machado’s post was the first reaction the US President gave since the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace prize, but the White House spokesperson already gave a sharp response to the announcement.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X:
President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.
Split reaction at home and abroad
Washington’s reaction to Machado’s Nobel win was a bit of a mixed bag.
Some Republican lawmakers and pro-opposition groups cheered the recognition, while the White House kept things more measured, framing the award as a win for Venezuelans and reiterating that the US would continue pursuing diplomatic and, when authorized, law-enforcement, actions against transnational criminal networks linked to Maduro.
Media outlets also pointed out that Machado’s win stirred up conversations about President Trump’s own high-profile attempts at the Nobel in recent months, even though he didn’t take home the prize this year.
Analysts say Machado’s recognition could crank up international pressure on Caracas, but it also complicates an already volatile domestic scene.
Some Latin America experts welcomed the spotlight on human-rights abuses and electoral restrictions, while others urged caution, warning that symbolic victories can backfire if they’re seen inside Venezuela as foreign meddling.
Machado herself, living in hiding because of threats and past legal bans on her running for office, may not even make it to the Oslo ceremony in December, according to the Nobel committee and on-the-ground reporting.
By Friday, it was clear just how much a single prize can ripple outward: sparking diplomatic statements, domestic protests, and a flood of commentary about America’s role in Venezuela’s future.
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