Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 10 (local time). The engineer-turned-politician had earlier this year defended US President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke licences allowing US energy companies to operate in Venezuela despite the long-standing sanctions.
Speaking to POLITICO in January, Machado said the move was essential to cut off what she described as the “criminal organisation” of President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which, she argued, depends on illicit trade and oil revenues to maintain its grip on power.
Machado Defended Trump’s Sanctions as a 'Necessary Step'
In her January interview, Machado praised Trump’s decision to cancel licences that had been reinstated under former President Joe Biden, including Chevron’s, which had enabled the export of around 3,00,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil per day. The arrangement reportedly provided Maduro’s government with nearly $500 million a month in revenue.
“This is what can weaken a criminal system and the flow of cash in the case of the Maduro regime comes from absolutely illicit sources tied to drug trafficking, oil, gold and minerals smuggling, money laundering and then permitted income from oil licences,” she told POLITICO. Dismissing criticism that sanctions could worsen living conditions, she had asked, “Do you think that money coming in from the licences went to pensions or schools or hospitals? That money was going into the pockets of the corrupt.”
Her remarks came at a time when Trump’s Venezuela policy was under scrutiny following comments from one of his envoys suggesting the US would avoid “regime change” interventions. Machado downplayed such concerns, saying she believed Trump remained firmly committed to pressuring Maduro to step down. “President Trump’s position is clear. He’s going to do everything to make the US freer, safer and more prosperous and that’ll happen by removing Maduro,” she said.
Trump and Machado: Different Politics, Common Adversary
Despite her praise for Trump’s hard line against the Maduro government, Machado and Trump differ sharply in political outlook. Machado, a liberal and pro-democracy reformist, has long campaigned for institutional rebuilding, human rights, and market liberalisation in Venezuela. Her 15-year economic roadmap envisions transforming Venezuela into a transparent, rules-based democracy integrated with the global economy.
Trump, by contrast, is known for his populist and nationalist approach, often resistant to global institutions and multilateral cooperation. While both share a desire to see the end of Maduro’s rule, their methods and motivations differ significantly, one seeking democratic restoration, the other prioritising strategic and economic dominance.
For now, Machado’s Nobel recognition underscores her international stature as a defender of democracy, even as her rare alignment with Trump’s Venezuela policy raises questions.
