Machado handed Trump the Nobel Peace Prize medal. What the media is writing
A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado took place at the White House. She presented the Nobel Peace Prize medal, which she received last year, to the head of state. At the same time, Trump is more sympathetic to the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, who called for opening the country to American oil companies. What the media write about the situation around Venezuela is in the Izvestia digest.
Associated Press: Machado awarded Trump her Nobel Peace Prize
The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Maria Corina Machado, said that she presented the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump confirmed on social media that Machado had left him the medal for safekeeping, and said it was an honor to meet her. Later, the White House released a photo of Machado standing next to Trump in the Oval Office and holding a medal in a large frame.
Associated Press
The Nobel Institute said Machado could not give his prize to Trump, an honor he had longed for. Even if this gesture turns out to be purely symbolic, it was unusual, given that Trump had effectively suspended Machado, who had long been the face of resistance in Venezuela. He made it clear that he was ready to cooperate with Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who was deputy to [President Nicolas] Maduro.
Machado's meeting with Trump was in stark contrast to the political reality in Venezuela. Rodriguez remains responsible for the day-to-day work of the government, along with other members of Maduro's inner circle. The acting president called for the resumption of diplomatic relations between the historical adversaries and advocated opening the state oil industry to more foreign investment after Trump promised to take control of the sale of Venezuelan oil.
The Washington Post: Machado wants to win Trump's favor
Trump accepted the Nobel Peace Prize medal from Machado. This is a notable attempt by the current laureate to influence the US president, who recently refused to support her challenge to the ruling regime of Venezuela. This gesture was made 12 days after the US president overthrew Venezuela's longtime leader, Nicolas Maduro, and then chose to maintain ties with the existing regime rather than support Machado, whose movement claimed victory in the 2024 elections.
The Washington Post
Machado's meeting with Trump was an attempt to restore influence on the future of Venezuela in the face of the continuing threat of US military action against the new leadership in Caracas, as well as in connection with Trump's demand to open Venezuela's oil fields to American companies. Machado was a potential Democratic leader of the country until Trump supported the current vice president, who expressed her willingness to give in to US demands.
When Machado was announced as the Nobel Peace Prize laureate in October, she dedicated the award to Trump for "his strong support of our cause," presumably given the sensitive political aspect of the award, which the US president had publicly claimed. Last week, Trump said it would be a "great honor" for Machado if she decided to give him the award. Trump's reluctance to support Machado is partly due to her decision to accept the award, which the president openly wanted to receive.
The New York Times: Rodriguez tries to find a balance between Maduro and Trump
In her first address to Congress on the state of affairs in the country, Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez teetered on the brink of political uncertainty. She repeated the fiery anti-imperialist rhetoric used by her predecessors and said she had written the speech with Maduro just hours before his capture by US special forces. At the same time, she seemed to follow Trump's ideas, announcing the discovery of Venezuela's oil fields, which was a specific demand of the US administration, and the release of political prisoners.
The New York Times
The Trump administration has threatened Rodriguez with consequences "worse than Maduro's" if she does not obey the interests of the United States. Maduro is currently in a Brooklyn prison awaiting trial. However, she asked those present to honor the memory of "all the heroes and heroines who died in battle" against the United States, which she called an "invading aggressor," and said the capture of Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, was a crossing of the line.
Rodriguez called on deputies to approve a bill that would allow oil fields to be opened "where there is no infrastructure" and "investments have never been made." The move appears to have been designed to meet specific U.S. requirements, potentially giving American oil companies access to undeveloped oil reserves. However, this proposal indicates a departure from the policy pursued by Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez, who gave priority to state nationalization.
Reuters: The United States seized a tanker linked to Venezuela on the eve of the meeting between Trump and Machado
The United States seized another tanker linked to Venezuela on the eve of Trump's meeting with Machado. This is the sixth vessel to be harassed since mid-December, which either transported Venezuelan oil or had done so in the past. Official sources said the seizure took place in the Caribbean.
Reuters
The Southern Command of the US Armed Forces confirmed the operation carried out at dawn, saying that American forces detained the tanker Veronica "without incident." The statement said that the Veronica tanker "acted in violation of President Trump's quarantine for sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean Sea." "Only oil that is transported properly and in accordance with the law will be exported from Venezuela," the Southern Command said in a statement.
An Aframax-class tanker flying the flag of Guyana left Venezuelan waters empty in early January. The vessel did not return to Venezuela, unlike other vessels that have returned in recent days. According to four sources, the US government has filed petitions with the court for the issuance of arrest warrants for dozens more tankers related to the Venezuelan oil trade. The vessels intercepted so far have either been under US sanctions or were part of a "shadow fleet" of vessels that disguise their origin to transport oil from major sanctioned producers.
Axios: US senators want to visit Venezuela
The senators who attended the meeting with Machado in Washington announced their intention to visit Venezuela, but expressed different opinions about the timing of her personal return. More than a dozen senators gathered at the meeting and praised Machado's courage. However, they had disagreements about how Venezuela should transition to democracy and when it would be safe for Machado to return home.
Axios
"This woman has guts, doesn't she? — said Senator Rick Scott, Republican from Florida. — I think she needs to be in the country. I think she needs to rally the Venezuelans." "She made it clear that she wants to return as soon as possible — which, as I warned her in Spanish, is not a good idea," said Senator Ruben Gayego, Democrat from Arizona. "I just think it's dangerous," Gayego added.
The senators are already discussing the possibility of concluding an agreement on the delegation's trip to Caracas. According to Gayego, they could come and express their support for the Venezuelan opposition. Scott supported this idea, but noted that security issues needed to be worked out.
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