Venezuelan Opposition Hails Trump for Maduro Capture, Offers Nobel Peace Prize—but Critics Warn of Chaos and International Backlash

Venezuela’s top opposition leader María Corina Machado said Monday she would like to personally give her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump, even as questions swirl over who should lead the country after a dramatic U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro.

The United States carried out air strikes in Caracas over the weekend and removed Maduro and his wife from power. The raid and the arrests have set off sharp debate at home and abroad about law and order and about who will run Venezuela next.

At a news conference after the operation, Mr. Trump said of Machado that “it would be very tough for her to be the leader” and claimed she “doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country.” Those blunt words appeared to rule her out of immediate cooperation with the United States.

Some inside the White House told reporters that Machado’s acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize had angered Mr. Trump. One source was quoted saying, “If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today.” That line fed a narrative that personal politics and prize envy may have shaped a choice with real world consequences.

Machado spoke on Fox News with Sean Hannity on Monday and praised the operation that ended Maduro’s rule. She thanked the network for support and called the events of January 3 “a huge step” for Venezuelans and for human dignity. “As soon as I learned that we had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I dedicated to Trump because I knew at that point, he deserved it,” she said.

Hannity opened the segment by asking, “Following the capture of Maduro over the weekend, the end of his horrific regime, the question remains, who will succeed the brutal dictator and bring much needed change and freedom to the country?” The host then ran through Machado’s record and her exile after being removed from the ballot.

Machado also addressed whether she had spoken to the president. She said she last spoke to Mr. Trump on October 10, the day the Nobel awards were announced, and not since then. On the idea of handing over the prize she said, “Well, it hasn’t happened yet. But I would certainly love to be able to personally tell him that we believe, the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people, certainly want to give it to him and share it with him.”

Outside Venezuela, reactions split along familiar lines. Some governments and rights groups called the U.S. action a necessary step to end a cruel regime. Others warned that the operation violated international norms and could unsettle the region. That split has left a messy gap where a clear plan for transition should be.

Back home, Venezuelan opposition figures expressed surprise at Mr. Trump’s dismissal of Machado. They had expected louder U.S. backing for a leader who had long campaigned against Maduro. Instead, Washington’s choice of conversation partners appears to follow security calculations rather than pure politics. Observers say that could complicate any effort to hold a fast and fair vote.

Featured image via X screengrab