Venezuela | María Corina Machado offers her Nobel Prize medal to Donald Trump

(Washington, Caracas) Venezuelan opponent María Corina Machado said she “offered” Donald Trump his Nobel Peace Prize medal during their meeting Thursday at the White House, in recognition of his commitment to “freedom”. At the same time, the interim president of Venezuela says she has no qualms about “diplomatically confronting” Washington.

“I offered the President of the United States the Nobel Peace Prize medal,” she declared in front of a crowd of journalists at the Capitol, seat of the American Congress where she had just spoken with parliamentarians.

Asked whether the American president had kept the medal, she did not answer.

The Venezuelan opponent had lunch at the White House with Donald Trump, who told Fox News that it would be a “great honor” for him if she gave him her prize or shared it with him. Mr. Trump has made no secret of his desire to be awarded this prize.

To explain his gesture, M^me Machado drew a comparison with the Marquis de Lafayette, the French officer who aided the United States during the Revolutionary War against Britain, saying he presented a medal bearing the likeness of America’s first president, George Washington, to Simon Bolivar.

The Venezuelan successfully led a series of struggles for independence against Spain.

“200 years later, the people of Bolivar are returning to Washington’s heir a medal, in this case that of the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom,” she said.

The American president has so far removed the opponent from his strategy in Venezuela.

Caracas is not afraid

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez said in a speech to parliament on Thursday that the country was not afraid to “diplomatically confront” the United States, less than two weeks after the Jan. 3 U.S. attack that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

“We know that the United States is very powerful. (…) We are not afraid to confront the United States diplomatically, through political dialogue,” said Mr.^me Rodriguez in his State of the Nation address, drawing a standing ovation from the National Assembly.

M^me Rodriguez also demanded from the United States “respect for the dignity of President Nicolás Maduro” and that of his wife Cilia Flores, also captured during the intervention.

Accused of drug trafficking, the couple is imprisoned in the United States awaiting trial.

Invested on January 5, M^me Rodriguez, who was Nicolás Maduro’s vice-president, is one of the personalities sanctioned by the American authorities.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump said that the interim president was a “great person” assuring that the United States “worked very well” with the new leader.

During her speech Thursday she said: “I have always said that if one day, as interim president, I have to go to Washington, I will do it standing up, without dragging myself (at anyone’s feet).”

Under American pressure, the Venezuelan government signed oil agreements with the United States and announced the release of political prisoners.