Nobel Institute rejects Machado proposal to share prize with Trump

Washington: The body responsible for overseeing the Nobel Peace Prize has dismissed suggestions that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado could give or share her recent award with US President Donald Trump.

In a brief statement issued on Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Institute said that once a Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, it cannot be revoked, transferred or shared. “The decision is final and stands for all time,” the institute said.

The clarification follows comments by Machado in which she expressed a desire to give or share the prize with Trump, citing his role in a US operation that led to the capture of Venezuela’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro. Maduro is now facing drug trafficking charges in New York.

Speaking on Fox News on Monday, Machado said she wanted to personally tell Trump that the Venezuelan people regarded the award as belonging to them and wished to share it with him. She described Trump’s actions as “historic” and said they represented “a huge step towards a democratic transition”.

Trump praises Machado yet backs Delcy Rodríguez

Machado had already dedicated the prize to Trump and to the Venezuelan people shortly after the award was announced. Trump, who has openly sought a Nobel Peace Prize since returning to office, welcomed the gesture.

Despite praising Machado as a “very nice woman”, Trump has so far backed a different figure to govern Venezuela following Maduro’s capture. He has voiced support for acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro, saying Machado currently lacks sufficient backing within the country.

Trump told Hannity on Thursday that Machado plans to visit next week and described the idea of a Peace Prize offering as a “great honour”.

A representative for Machado did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

AP