Nobel Foundation: Prize Not Transferable After Machado Gives Medal to Trump; U.S.-Venezuela Ties Deepen
Nobel Foundation says 2025 Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado cannot be transferred after she presented medal to President Donald Trump amid U.S.-Venezuelan shifts.
Overview
María Corina Machado, awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for advancing democracy in Venezuela, presented her medal to President Donald Trump during a Jan. 15 White House meeting.
The Nobel Foundation and Norwegian Nobel Institute said Jan. 16 a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred, emphasizing Alfred Nobel’s will and prize administration rules.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas to discuss cooperation, oil-sector openings, and intelligence, part of deeper U.S.-Venezuelan engagement after Maduro's capture.
Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces Jan. 3, faces narcotrafficking and corruption charges, and Delcy Rodríguez has sworn in as Venezuela's interim president amid disputed 2024 election claims.
Machado said she gifted the medal as recognition and to win U.S. support; Nobel officials disagreed on transferability, leaving symbolic gesture but not legal reassignment of the prize.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally, relying on official statements, attributed quotes, and factual context rather than editorializing. They juxtapose Nobel Foundation rulings, Machado’s gesture and motives, Trump’s reactions and U.S. diplomatic moves, and note disputed claims as sourced, minimizing loaded language and making clear when assertions are opinion or speculation.
Sources (30)
FAQ
Machado gifted the medal to Trump during a White House meeting on January 15 as recognition for his leadership in promoting peace, advancing diplomacy, and defending liberty, and to express gratitude on behalf of Venezuela's people.
The Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred; the decision is final, and even symbolically it cannot be passed on, though laureates may dispose of the physical medal as they wish.
Yes, laureates are free to keep, give away, sell, or donate their medals with no restrictions; precedents include James Watson selling his medal and Leon Lederman auctioning his for medical expenses.
Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces on January 3 facing narcotrafficking charges, leading Delcy Rodríguez to swear in as interim president amid disputed elections, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe meeting her on cooperation and oil.
History
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