World leaders, politicians, and business leaders have accepted that when they visit the White House, they have to bring a gift. A Swiss delegation showed up in November with a gold ingot valued at $130,000 and a gold Rolex. The president of FIFA, who conjured up a Peace Prize ad hoc to seduce the U.S. president, is a regular at the Oval Office, always with trophies or golden cups. Trump received a battery of 1984 Olympic medals in August as a gift for his role as host of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. And the president of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung, arrived with a golf club engraved with his name and the numbers 45 and 47, a nod to his two presidential terms. That's why when this Thursday María Corina Machado arrived in Washington, she knew exactly what she needed to bring to bridge the gap with Trump and try to appease the discomfort and resentment that the most powerful man in the world has carried since October, when the Norwegian committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the Venezuelan opposition leader.
"It was a great honor for me to meet María Corina Machado from Venezuela today. She is a wonderful woman who has been through a lot. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. A wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, María!", celebrated the American president on his social media. Shortly after, The New York Post exclusively obtained the photo of the meeting between them, in which Machado presented him with her commemorative medal, with an added plaque thanking Trump "for his extraordinary leadership in promoting Peace through Strength, diplomacy, and the defense of freedom and prosperity," a nod to the Republican leader's motto.
A second plaque, below the medal, goes further, and on "behalf of the Venezuelan people" thanks and acknowledges Trump "for the decisive actions to ensure a free Venezuela. The valor of America, and of its president Donald J. Trump, will never be forgotten by the Venezuelans," she said in reference to the military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
This second message served Machado to build a narrative of brotherhood and historical retribution. "200 years ago, General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with the face of President George Washington. Since then, Simón Bolívar never parted with it. He always kept it. 200 years later, the people of Bolívar, his heirs, we present to the President of the United States, heir of Washington, the Nobel medal as a recognition for his commitment to our freedom," explained the Latin American politician from the steps of the Capitol, a few hours later, after a meeting with senators from both parties.
The Nobel medal has been the price to pay for the meeting, to try to get Trump to forgive the personal offense of not winning the prize he desires most. The price for an approach and the opportunity to try to convince Trump and his circle not to embrace Delcy Rodríguez and the heirs of the Chavista regime. It won't be easy. Trump has repeatedly praised Rodríguez. And he has insisted that he does not believe that the opposition leader has "the support and respect of the people."
When she was awarded in October, Trump did not congratulate her, but simply said that Machado had called to say that he deserved it as much or more than she and the Venezuelan people. In recent weeks, Trump had reiterated that he found it incredible not to have won the prize, insisting on the nonsensical narrative that he alone ended eight or nine wars in his first year in office. And he said he would gladly accept the prize if she gave it to him. The Norwegian Committee came out to say that a Nobel cannot be transferred or given away. And today they reiterated: "A medal can change hands, but the title of Nobel Peace Prize cannot." Nevertheless, the opposition understood the message and paid the price. A photo, a meeting, and a genuflection in exchange for an opportunity.