Machado presented her Nobel Prize to Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House on January 14, 2026, just two weeks after he authorized a U.S. Military operation to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas.
The award, established in 2023 by the Oslo-based Global Peace Initiative to honor individuals advancing democratic governance through nonviolent resistance, was conferred upon Machado in December 2025 for her leadership in organizing nationwide civil disobedience campaigns against Maduro’s administration following the disputed 2024 presidential election.
According to White House records, the meeting took place in the Oval Office at 11:00 a.m. EST and lasted approximately 25 minutes. Machado arrived with the Nobel medal and certificate, which she placed on the Resolute Desk before Trump. No joint statement was issued following the encounter.
The U.S. Operation targeting Maduro, designated Operation Sovereign Shield, commenced on January 2, 2026, involving special operations forces inserted via maritime ingress near La Guaira. Venezuelan authorities reported the detention of Maduro at Miraflores Palace on January 3, with subsequent transfer to a U.S. Military facility in Curaçao for interrogation under the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed by Congress in September 2025.
Venezuela’s interim government, led by opposition figure Juan Guaidó, acknowledged Maduro’s removal in a televised address on January 4, stating it welcomed international support for restoring constitutional order. The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session on January 5 but failed to adopt a resolution due to vetoes from China and Russia.
Machado, who has been based in exile in Madrid since 2023 after surviving an assassination attempt in Trujillo, traveled to Washington under a special humanitarian parole granted by the Department of Homeland Security on January 10. Her visit was not listed on the public White House schedule.
Trump described Machado as “a brave fighter for freedom” in a Truth Social post the following day, while declining to comment on the legal status of Maduro or the specifics of the Caracas operation. The State Department has not confirmed whether Maduro remains in U.S. Custody or outlined any formal charges against him.
The Global Peace Initiative has not revoked Machado’s award, citing its statutes that prohibit withdrawal based on recipients’ engagements with state actors. Its chair, former Swedish Prime Minister Margot Wallström, stated in a press release on January 15 that the organization “recognizes the complexity of democratic transitions and continues to monitor developments in Venezuela.”
As of January 26, 2026, Maduro has not appeared in any public proceeding, and his legal representatives have not filed petitions in U.S. Courts challenging his detention. The National Assembly, now controlled by opposition-aligned deputies, has scheduled a session for February 5 to consider a request for international observation of upcoming presidential elections.
