US President Donald Trump met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, discussing Venezuela’s future and her Nobel Peace Prize.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday.
Machado described the lunch meeting as “great” but did not elaborate on the substance of their conversation.
The encounter lasted slightly over an hour and marked their first in-person meeting.
ALSO READ: Venezuela’s Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize and dedicates it to Trump
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had looked forward to the meeting with the “remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela.”
Leavitt added that Trump stood by his “realistic” assessment that Machado currently lacks the support needed to lead Venezuela in the short term.
Machado is competing for influence with members of Venezuela’s government following the capture of its longtime leader, Nicolas Maduro.
Trump has prioritised securing US access to Venezuelan oil and rebuilding the country’s economy over promoting a swift return to democracy.
The president has on several occasions praised Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, calling her “very good to deal with.”
One potential topic was the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to Machado last month, which she had suggested she might give to Trump.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute has stated the prize cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked.
Upon exiting, Machado declined to say if she had presented the prize to Trump.
Trump told Reuters he did not ask for the prize, stating, “She’s a very nice woman. I think we’re just going to talk basics.”
Machado was banned from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election by a court stacked with government allies.
Outside observers widely believe opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez, backed by Machado, won more votes by a substantial margin.
Machado is due to meet with a bipartisan group of senior US senators on Capitol Hill later on Thursday.
She has generally found more enthusiastic allies in Congress than in the White House regarding her political future. – Reuters
