Machado presents Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump at White House meeting

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave President Donald Trump the medal from her Nobel Peace Prize during a closed-door White House meeting, while the White House praised acting Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez and said there is no timetable for a return to democratic elections.

María Corina Machado visited the White House for a closed-door meeting with President Donald Trump and left before mid-afternoon. During the meeting she presented Mr. Trump with the medal from her Nobel Peace Prize. The exchange comes amid a wider U.S. posture toward Venezuela after Mr. Trump’s recent capture of Nicolás Maduro and the continuing role of Caracas’s acting authorities. Key points: - Machado won last year’s Nobel Peace Prize and said she gave the medal to Mr. Trump during the visit. - The Norwegian Nobel Committee has said the prize cannot be given away, which affects formal recognition of any transfer. - Mr. Trump posted a public message thanking Machado for presenting the medal. - White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration praised acting president Delcy Rodríguez and reported no updated timetable for elections in Venezuela. - The White House said Ms. Rodríguez has agreed to turn over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., according to the briefing. - Mr. Trump has said Machado does not have sufficient support inside Venezuela to lead the country, while he has described Ms. Rodríguez in positive terms. Summary: The meeting underlines competing claims for U.S. backing between María Corina Machado and the acting Caracas authorities, as Washington publicly acknowledges cooperation from Delcy Rodríguez’s government and offers no clear schedule for restoring democratic elections. Undetermined at this time.