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Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026
Outside the box.
Trump to Host Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado at the White House
Washington confirms first in-person meeting with Nobel Peace Prize laureate as Venezuela’s political future remains in flux
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, marking a significant moment in Washington’s engagement with Venezuela’s opposition movement after recent political upheaval.
A White House official confirmed the meeting on Monday, underscoring the administration’s interest in dialogue with Machado as events unfold in Caracas and beyond.
Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been a prominent critic of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro, is expected to arrive in Washington this week for discussions with Trump and U.S. officials.
The visit follows her private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where she sought support for democratic transition and the release of political prisoners in Venezuela.
The anticipated meeting comes on the heels of a dramatic U.S. operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and his transfer to New York on federal charges, a development that has intensified diplomatic focus on Venezuela.
Trump has publicly welcomed Machado’s arrival, saying he looks forward to “saying hello,” though he has previously questioned her level of domestic support for leadership in Venezuela.
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize win in October 2025 has been a point of international attention; she dedicated the award to both the Venezuelan people and, symbolically, to Trump for his role in the recent intervention, though the Nobel committee has clarified that the prize cannot be transferred or shared.
The upcoming session at the White House is poised to explore shared priorities regarding Venezuela’s political transition, humanitarian concerns and prospects for restoring democratic norms.
With the nation’s leadership and electoral processes in contention, the meeting signals deepening U.S. involvement in Venezuelan affairs and could influence the direction of international engagement as Caracas navigates a pivotal chapter.
A White House official confirmed the meeting on Monday, underscoring the administration’s interest in dialogue with Machado as events unfold in Caracas and beyond.
Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been a prominent critic of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro, is expected to arrive in Washington this week for discussions with Trump and U.S. officials.
The visit follows her private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where she sought support for democratic transition and the release of political prisoners in Venezuela.
The anticipated meeting comes on the heels of a dramatic U.S. operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and his transfer to New York on federal charges, a development that has intensified diplomatic focus on Venezuela.
Trump has publicly welcomed Machado’s arrival, saying he looks forward to “saying hello,” though he has previously questioned her level of domestic support for leadership in Venezuela.
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize win in October 2025 has been a point of international attention; she dedicated the award to both the Venezuelan people and, symbolically, to Trump for his role in the recent intervention, though the Nobel committee has clarified that the prize cannot be transferred or shared.
The upcoming session at the White House is poised to explore shared priorities regarding Venezuela’s political transition, humanitarian concerns and prospects for restoring democratic norms.
With the nation’s leadership and electoral processes in contention, the meeting signals deepening U.S. involvement in Venezuelan affairs and could influence the direction of international engagement as Caracas navigates a pivotal chapter.
