Soon after the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader Machado publicly dedicated the honor to former US President Donald Trump as well as to the people of Venezuela. However, the organization responsible for administering the Nobel Peace Prize moved quickly to dampen speculation that the award could be handed over, shared, or reassigned to Trump.
In a brief statement released on Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Institute made it clear that once a Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, the decision is permanent and irreversible. The institute emphasized that the prize cannot be withdrawn, transferred to another individual, or divided among multiple recipients under any circumstances. “The decision is final and stands for all time,” the statement said, underscoring the long-standing rules that govern the prestigious award.
This clarification followed comments made by Machado in which she expressed a desire to either give the prize to Trump or share it with him. Her remarks were linked to Trump’s role in overseeing a US-led operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in New York. Machado praised Trump’s actions as pivotal and transformative for Venezuela’s future.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday, Machado said she hoped to personally convey to Trump that the Venezuelan people viewed the prize as belonging to them collectively and wished to honor him with it. She described his actions as historic, arguing that they represented a major step toward initiating a democratic transition in Venezuela.
Machado formally dedicated the prize to Trump and to the Venezuelan population shortly after the award was announced. Trump, for his part, has long expressed a strong desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize and has openly campaigned for the recognition since returning to office.
Despite this praise, Trump has so far indicated support for a different figure when it comes to leading Venezuela in the aftermath of Maduro’s capture. He has backed acting President Delcy RodrÃguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro. While Trump has referred to Machado as a “very nice woman,” he has also stated that she currently lacks sufficient domestic backing within Venezuela to govern effectively.
In remarks made to Hannity on Thursday, Trump noted that Machado is expected to visit next week and described the idea of a Peace Prize dedication as a “great honor.” Meanwhile, a representative for Machado did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the controversy surrounding the award.
