Her recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump—during which she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal—underscored both her global prominence and the complicated geopolitics surrounding Venezuela’s future.
Born in Caracas in 1967, Machado studied engineering and finance and briefly pursued a career in business. She began her public service journey in 1992 when she founded the Atenea Foundation, a charity supporting street children in Caracas. Ten years later, she co‑founded Súmate, a civil society organisation that trains election monitors and campaigns for free and fair elections. Her advocacy propelled her into politics; in 2010 she won a seat in the National Assembly with a record number of votes but was expelled by the regime in 2014.
Machado’s commitment to democracy continued. She leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party and helped establish the Soy Venezuela alliance, bringing together pro‑democracy forces across ideological divides. When she announced her candidacy in the 2024 presidential election and was subsequently banned from running, she threw her support behind Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The opposition documented widespread evidence that Gonzalez won, but President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory and tightened his grip on power. Machado’s activism earned her the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights and pushing for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Latest news: a Nobel medal presented to Trump
On 15 January 2026 Machado met President Trump at the White House and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal, a gesture she said symbolised the bond between Venezuelans seeking freedom and Americans who once fought for their own independence. She likened the moment to General Lafayette giving Simón Bolívar a medal during Venezuela’s fight for independence. Trump called her gesture “a wonderful act of mutual respect,” while Machado told reporters she was “absolutely grateful” for his support.
In subsequent comments, Machado expressed confidence that Venezuela would eventually dismantle what she called the country’s “criminal regime” and transition to free elections, though she acknowledged the road ahead would be difficult. She urged the U.S. government to involve the opposition in shaping Venezuela’s future and maintained that the movement she represents is the legitimate winner of the 2024 election.
Why her story matters
Machado’s journey encapsulates the resilience of Venezuelans who refuse to accept authoritarianism. Her upper‑class background—her father was a prominent steel businessman—has made her a target for the ruling socialist party, yet she has persisted in advocating liberal economic reforms and social welfare programmes. After winning the opposition primary in 2023, she was banned from running and eventually went into hiding before resurfacing after Maduro’s contested 2024 re‑election. Her activism has come at a personal cost; many of her advisers have been detained or exiled.
The Nobel Peace Prize is a testament to her role in keeping the flame of democracy alive amid growing darkness. By giving the medal to Trump, she seeks to secure international support for a peaceful transition and highlight the historic ties between Venezuela and the United States. Her actions also reflect the broader question of who will lead Venezuela after Maduro’s ouster. U.S. authorities have installed former vice‑president Delcy Rodríguez as interim president—making her Venezuela’s first female head of state—but critics argue that Machado, who won the opposition primary and secured a Nobel Prize, should play a central role in shaping Venezuela’s future.
Looking ahead
As January 2026 unfolds, Venezuela’s political landscape remains unsettled. Machado’s confidence in an orderly transition to elections suggests that she sees a path forward, albeit a challenging one. Whether her meeting with Trump will translate into concrete political influence remains unclear. Nevertheless, her courage and unwavering commitment to democratic ideals make her a remarkable woman whose story resonates far beyond Venezuela’s borders.
Photo: Par Kevin Payravi — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=179764772