Maria Corina Machado mentions Trump in Nobel victory message: ‘We count on US President…’

Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Friday reacted to Nobel win and said the peace prize is a recognition of “the struggle of all Venezuelans to achieve freedom”.

Maria Machado and Donald Trump

Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work “to achieve a just and peaceful transition” of power in the South American country.

Machado also said that Venezuela counts on US President Donald Trump more than ever as the US remains key ally in Venezuela’s fight for freedom and democracy.

“This immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to complete our task: to achieve Freedom,” Machado wrote on X.

“We are on the threshold of victory, and today 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 main allies in achieving Freedom and democracy,” she added.

“Venezuela will be free!,” Machado concluded.

Machado, an industrial engineer, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela’s courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

The reaction of the Venezuelan leader comes as the Norwegian Nobel Committee chose her over Trump for the peace prize, despite the US President lobbying for the prestigious price.

He had reiterated several times that he “deserved” to win it. The White House has criticised the Nobel committee’s decision to award Machado, despite Trump announcing the Gaza breakthrough, one of the several international conflicts he claimed to have mediated.

“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,” White House Director of Communications wrote on X.

“Once again, the Nobel Committee has proved they place politics over peace,” White House statement read.

Machado was forced to go into hiding due to threats to her life and was briefly detained during protests.

This is as Machado has protested against Maduro’s third-term election win, following a controversial vote widely accused of fraud.

Trump’s team has called Maduro an illegitimate leader, reported The New York Times, and he has expressed support for replacing Maduro with Machado.