Venezuelan opposition figure María Colina Machado expressed her desire to present the Nobel Peace Prize directly to President Trump. She proclaimed that the bold arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro would be remembered as “the day when justice triumphed over tyranny.”
Living in hiding due to the Maduro regime, Machado shared her thoughts with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday, noting that her last conversation with President Trump was on October 10, the day the prize announcement was made.
She was honored for her fight against what the Norwegian Nobel Committee referred to as authoritarianism.
Machado dedicated the prestigious award to Trump, asserting that he had shown the world his worthiness. She remarked, “When I learned we had won the Nobel Peace Prize, I immediately dedicated it to Mr. Trump, because at that moment, I knew he deserved it. Many said it was impossible for him to achieve what he did on January 3rd. So, I think he truly deserves it.”
She described the Trump administration’s arrest of President Maduro as a “huge step for humanity.” Machado stated, “January 3 will go down in history as the day justice overcame tyranny. I believe this is a significant milestone not just for Venezuelans but for humanity, freedom, and dignity.”
When asked if she had ever proposed giving Trump the Nobel Prize, Machado said she hadn’t, though she’d be open to it. “It hasn’t happened yet, but it would mean a lot for us, the people of Venezuela, to personally tell him this is our prize, and we would love to share it with him,” she added.
However, Trump mentioned to the New York Post that he was unsure if Machado had “the public support that he needs” while explaining his choice to keep Venezuela under the influence of Maduro’s allies.
Here are the latest updates on the capture of Nicolás Maduro:
Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim president on Monday.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the CIA assessed Mr. Rodríguez was in a better position to maintain stability in Venezuela than Mr. Machado, Maduro’s main opposition leader.
Intelligence agencies have concluded that Mr. Machado would likely struggle to assert control over a government that Maduro has dominated for over a decade and would face significant resistance from Maduro’s militia.
Meanwhile, the deposed ruler and accused narco-terrorist made his first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, describing his capture as a “kidnapping” and asserting, “I’m a decent human being.”
