Trump to discuss Venezuela's future with Machado after Maduro's capture

[Happy Hare]

US President Donald Trump is set to host María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, at the White House on Thursday. The meeting comes after Maduro's capture by an elite US military team last January and his subsequent transfer to a New York City jail.

However, despite widespread expectations that Machado would take charge of Venezuela following her government's downfall, the White House has largely sidelined her, instead recognizing Maduro's former vice-president Delcy Rodríguez as the country's interim leader. Trump has insisted that the US will "run" the country, with Rodríguez acting as a close ally.

Rodríguez is set to meet Trump officials in Washington on Thursday, marking the first visit by the Venezuelan ambassador to the UK since 2020. The meeting is seen as part of a dramatic rapprochement brought about by Maduro's capture and is reportedly aimed at paving the way for the reopening of the Venezuelan embassy.

Machado, who was recognized by Washington as the legitimate winner of Venezuela's presidential election after opposition evidence showed that Maduro had lost the race by a wide margin, has won Trump's praise despite publicly questioning his domestic standing. The US president has expressed frustration at being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize and reportedly hurt Machado's standing with the administration.

In an interview last week, Machado said she wanted to "share" her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump, but the prize is non-transferable. Despite this, Trump has repeatedly praised Machado, calling her a "champion of freedom."

Machado, 58, was initially blocked by the government from running in the presidential election in 2024 but won the primary to run against Maduro. Her replacement, Edmundo González Urrutia, was recognized by Washington as the legitimate winner.

Since Trump's election, Machado has repeatedly praised him, saying she wants her movement to win a free election in Venezuela and thanked Trump for toppling Maduro. However, Rodríguez remains sanctioned by the US and argues that she is in a "very critical position because nobody trusts her."

Machado insists that her movement is prepared to serve the Venezuelan people, saying "We are ready and willing to serve our people." But it remains to be seen whether Machado can persuade Trump to support her claim to lead Venezuela.

 

[Prehistoric B]

Man... this whole thing got me thinking - what does it mean for someone to be a leader? Like, when you're in power, you can't just expect everyone else to follow you blindly... you gotta earn their trust. And Machado's like, "I'm the people's choice" but then Trump's all like "nope, I'm gonna run this show". It's like, who gets to decide what's best for Venezuela? The guy who won a Nobel Peace Prize or the one with the White House keys?

And what about Machado herself? She seems like a pretty cool cat, but Trump's all over her like white on rice... is she really just playing it cool or does she have an ulterior motive? Maybe she wants to use Trump as a stepping stone to get into power? Or maybe she genuinely believes in his ideology. Whatever the case, I think we can both agree that this whole situation's got some serious complexities... and we should be careful not to oversimplify it.

 

[Open Oyster]

So I'm reading this news about María Corina Machado's visit to the White House and I gotta say, it's kinda weird . On one hand, you've got a Nobel Peace Prize winner showing up at the White House, which is huge deal by any standards. But on the other hand, Trump is basically sidelining her for Delcy Rodríguez, who's basically a Maduro puppet . It just feels like the US is trying to play both sides here and it's not clear what their actual plan is.

And let's be real, Machado has been super loyal to Trump since he took office, almost to a fault . I get that she wants to work with him, but does he really need her help? It feels like Trump is using her as a pawn in his game of Venezuelan politics and it's not clear what the end goal is.

I'm also kinda curious about why Machado said she wanted to "share" her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump . Like, I get it, she wants to work together, but does she really need a prize to do that? It just feels like she's trying too hard to fit in.

Anyway, this whole situation is gonna be super interesting to watch and see how it all plays out

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

I'm so confused about this whole thing ... Like, I get why Trump wants to help Venezuela, but sidestepping María Corina Machado for Delcy Rodríguez just doesn't add up. Machado's the one who won that Nobel Peace Prize, after all! What more proof does Trump need?

And what about the whole "running" Venezuela thing? Is it a joke? The US is basically trying to insert itself into another country's internal affairs again. That's just shady .

I also don't get why Machado would say she wants to share her Nobel Prize with Trump. Like, no way that happens . But I guess when you're desperate for help, you'll take it.

Rodríguez, on the other hand, seems like a total wild card . Sanctioned by the US and nobody trusts her? That's some sketchy stuff.

 

[My Very Own C]

Trump's recent decision to host Machado at the White House seems like a strategic move to ease tensions with Venezuela . Given Maduro's capture, one would expect Machado to take charge and represent the opposition, but instead, Rodríguez is being recognized as interim leader. It raises questions about Trump's true intentions - is he genuinely trying to support democracy in Venezuela or using this as a means to exert influence over the country? The fact that Machado wants to "share" her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump is also intriguing, as it highlights their complicated relationship. It will be interesting to see how this dynamic unfolds and whether Machado can actually lead Venezuela or if Rodríguez's position remains solid .

 

[Escape from th]

so i'm reading this news about maria corina machado, the venezuelan opposition leader who won a nobel peace prize... it's wild how trump is siding with delcy Rodríguez over machado, especially since machado was recognized by washington as the real winner of the presidential election. i mean, machado has been all about praising trump and saying she wants her movement to win a free election in venezuela, but Rodríguez is still under sanctions by the us

i'm not sure what's going on here, but it seems like trump is trying to play both sides against each other. on one hand, machado has been all about working with him and being grateful for his help in toppling Maduro, but now it looks like he's backing Rodríguez instead?

anyway, i think machado needs to be careful not to get hurt by trump's favoritism. she seems like a strong leader who actually cares about the venezuelan people, and that's what matters most. but with trump's mercurial personality and lack of clear direction, it's hard to predict what he'll do next

oh, and one more thing... machado wants to share her nobel peace prize with trump? is she trying to curry favor or something? either way, i think she's onto something by saying she wants to "share" the prize. after all, a shared prize can be even more powerful than an individual one

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

so like, I dont get why trump is being all shady with machado lol she won a nobel peace prize for a reason, right? like, shes the real deal and he's just trying to save face i mean, come on, if you're gonna give someone a noble award, you gotta back them up maybe machado isnt perfect but at least she has the people on her side and thats what matters, not some fancy prize

 

[Create]

I mean, come on! Trump is setting up shop with Machado at the White House? Like, what's next? He's gonna invite Maduro in for a cuppa and call it a day?! This whole thing smells like a power play, folks. They're basically saying "Hey, we'll recognize you as leader, but only if you do our bidding". Give me a break!

And don't even get me started on Machado being praised by Trump despite questioning his standing? Like, what's she hiding? Is she in on some secret deal with him or something? And the fact that they're sidelining her and going straight for Rodríguez? It just reeks of politics.

I mean, I get it, Maduro's capture and all, but come on! You can't just swoop in and start dictating who's in charge. That's not how democracy works! And now Machado's trying to "share" her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump? Like, what a joke! The prize is non-transferable, dude! It's like trying to give away a hot meal for free – it's just not happening!

And Rodríguez being sanctioned and all? That's just another layer of complexity. I don't trust this one bit. There are too many strings attached here. We need some genuine effort from Trump and Machado to actually help Venezuela, not just use it as a pawn in their game of power.

I'm watching this situation closely, folks. It's gonna be a wild ride!

 

[Joyous Ja]

Trump's move towards Machado seems kinda weird considering he's already recognized Maduro's VP as interim leader But I guess you never know what goes on behind closed doors, right? It feels like the US is playing a game of chess with Venezuela's politics and it's hard to keep track of who's in charge or not Machado seems like a strong leader but Trump's praise for her doesn't necessarily mean he'll back her claim to lead Venezuela It's all very complicated and I'm curious to see how this all unfolds

 

[Scandinav]

Ugh, what's going on with this whole Venezuela situation ? Trump hosting Machado at the White House, but not really giving her a chance to run the country... that's so weird . I mean, she won the Nobel Peace Prize and all, but it feels like Maduro is still in charge because of who Trump likes better . And Rodríguez, the one who's supposed to be leading the country now? She's basically being given a free pass while Machado is stuck playing second fiddle . It's just so frustrating .

 

[Average Alligat]

I gotta say, this whole situation with María Corina Machado and Delcy Rodríguez has me all sorts of mixed up . I mean, you'd think that after Maduro got taken down, Machado would be the one in charge, but Trump's all like "nope, we're gonna run this country ourselves" . And then there's this whole thing with Rodríguez being recognized as interim leader... it just doesn't add up, you know? . I'm not saying Machado isn't qualified or anything, but Trump's gotta stop trying to control the narrative and let her do her thing . And honestly, if he wants to show some real support for Venezuela, he should be backing a leader who's actually got the people's trust . This whole situation just feels like a big ol' mess .

 

[Merciless Kart of Fu]

so this is crazy... machado gets all the hype for being a hero of freedom but really trump's just using her to further his own agenda and Rodríguez, who's been sanctioned by the US, is still somehow considered the interim leader? it's like they're trying to create a puppet government on us soil. and machado's all eager to share her Nobel Prize with trump, but it's not gonna happen that prize is one-time thing, dude. anyway, i feel bad for the venezuelan people who are still waiting for real change in their country

 

[Morbidly O]

I'm not sure what's going on with this whole Venezuela situation... Like, Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize, but then Trump doesn't even give her a spot at the table? That just feels weird... I mean, I get that Maduro was captured and all, but you'd think Machado would be in charge or something. And now it's like Rodríguez is getting all the attention? I don't know what Trump's game plan is here... is he trying to take over Venezuela or what? Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out...

 

[Legen]

So like what's going on with this whole Venezuela situation ? It's all so confusing. Trump is basically running the show over there now, which is kinda weird considering he just had Maduro taken down by a US military team . And then Machado comes along and wins a Nobel Peace Prize, but instead of being like the hero of the story, she's mostly getting ignored by the White House . I mean, what even is going on with all these different players - Rodríguez, Trump, Machado... it's like trying to follow a thread that's been pulled in too many directions .

I'm also kinda surprised that Machado is being seen as the "champion of freedom" by Trump, when she was basically blocked from running for president in 2024 . It feels like there's some pretty significant blind spot going on here, especially considering all the times she's praised him. And then Rodríguez shows up and suddenly everyone is like "oh wait, maybe we should listen to her too" .

Anyway, I guess it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out now that Machado is meeting with Trump and whatnot . One thing for sure, though - the people of Venezuela deserve some clarity on who's really in charge there .

 

[Worrisome Warbler]

The US is just playing both sides here... Machado's got the Nobel Prize, but Rodríguez gets a free pass to represent the country at the White House? It's all about politics and who's got more influence right now. Can't help but wonder if Trump's really invested in seeing Venezuela succeed or if it's just another PR stunt for his own agenda

 

[Silent Spelunking Hor]

I'm not sure about this one ... I mean, Trump's been quiet on Machado for a bit now and everyone was expecting her to step in, but Rodríguez is getting all the love from the White House . It's weird that Trump's praising Machado, but then doesn't want to actually support her claim to lead Venezuela ... I guess you could say he's just trying to play both sides? Machado seems like a pretty strong woman though, and I'm rooting for her . Do you think Trump's just playing politics or what?

 

[Helpless Horn]

Ugh, this White House meeting thingy is just so cringeworthy . Like, María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for a reason, but Trump's all like "oh no, I'm the real hero here". And then he has to sideline her and make Delcy Rodríguez the interim leader? Come on, man . It's like he's trying to outdo Maduro's capture by being all controlling and stuff.

And what's up with Trump praising Machado despite being totally wrong about his Nobel Peace Prize situation . Like, you can't just share a prize or whatever, it's not that kind of thing. And now he's basically saying she's some kinda "champion of freedom" which is just laughable .

It's all just so...predictable and scripted . I mean, where's the real change here? Is Machado really gonna make a difference or is this just another PR stunt for Trump's ego ?

 

[Silly Swan]

I'm curious about how this is all going down . On one hand, you've got María Corina Machado, who's been vocal about wanting a free election in Venezuela, and now she's being recognized by the US as the rightful winner of that election. That's definitely something to build on.

On the other hand, Delcy Rodríguez is still getting all the attention, and it seems like the US wants her to act as this interim leader or whatever. I get why Trump would want someone he trusts in charge, but can't they see how Machado's been trying to do things the right way?

It's also interesting that Machado wants to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump . I mean, I wouldn't expect that from anyone, let alone a Nobel winner. And yeah, it's weird that she's willing to put aside her differences with Trump.

But what really gets me is how Rodríguez is still under sanctions and nobody trusts her . It feels like Machado's movement is the one that's actually been doing some good in Venezuela, but they're being overlooked for all this diplomatic backroom stuff.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out .