When Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, the announcement rippled far beyond the usual celebration of moral courage. To many, it wasn’t just about honouring her defiance against an authoritarian regime—it was also a symbolic pushback against a government the West has long criticised. And just like that, Washington’s long and uneasy engagement with Venezuela gained a new, moral dimension: human rights. Interestingly, Machado dedicated her Nobel to US President Donald Trump, praising his “decisive support” for Venezuela’s pro-democracy cause. She said Trump and the US remain key allies as her nation stands on the brink of victory in its struggle for freedom. President Trump later shared that Machado had personally called to dedicate her Nobel Peace Prize to him, saying she believed he “really deserved it.” Describing her as “very nice,” Trump mentioned his continued efforts to support Venezuela, calling the nation’s condition a “basic disaster.”