Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has told the BBC she is grateful for what US President Donald Trump is doing around the world for peace.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, was awarded the 2025 prize having long campaigned against the country's President Nicolás Maduro Moros, whose 12-year rule is viewed by many as illegitimate.
She told BBC Mundo that during a congratulatory phone call with Trump she conveyed, how grateful the Venezuelan people are for what he's doing, not only in the Americas, but around the world for peace, for freedom, for democracy.
Trump has expressed interest in winning the Nobel award himself, referencing the numerous conflicts he claims to have resolved.
As the deadline for this year's nominations passed, the White House asserted that the Nobel Committee prioritizes political interests over genuine peace efforts.
In her conversation with Trump, Machado expressed her appreciation for his support and emphasized that her Nobel accolade energizes the opposition in Venezuela. She underscored the need for international intervention to dismantle the Maduro regime's illicit financial flows that bolster its power.
Despite the dangers she faces, Machado remains in Venezuela, where her courage and commitment to democracy have inspired many. She called for a united international front to stifle the regime's illegal operations associated with drug trafficking and arms smuggling, asserting that such measures would weaken Maduro's hold on power.
As Machado continues her fight for democracy, recent US military actions targeting alleged narco-traffickers in the region have added further complications to the geopolitical landscape, drawing condemnation from various governments.
