The decision of the Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, to accept the Nobel Peace Prize would have cost the activist the support of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, to lead a transition in Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, according to The Washington Post.
Although Machado asked Trump, prior to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, to intervene in Venezuela, in a political wink with the Republican, the president decided to opt for Delcy Rodríguez.
Even, Trump stated that Machado does not have “the respect and support” of his people, which is why he does not see her as an option to assume the Presidency of Venezuela.
“I think it would be very difficult for her to be the leader. She does not have the support or respect within the country. She is a very nice woman, but she does not have the respect to govern,” said the Republican from Mar-a-Lago and assured that he has not spoken with the politician, who in December received the Nobel Peace Prize amid multiple protests and criticism.
According to the Post, Trump’s comment took Machado’s allies and colleagues by surprise, according to a person close to the opposition’s team, who secretly left Venezuela after months in hiding.
The awarding of the Nobel Prize could be the cause of Trump’s decision, according to The Washington Post, that is,The fact that he did not reject the recognition was an “unforgivable sin” that the president has not forgotten, two sources close to the White House told the Post.
“If I had rejected it and said: ‘I can’t accept it because it belongs to Donald Trump,’ today I would be the president of Venezuela,” added one of the people, who offered his testimony under anonymity.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, reiterated this Sunday Washington’s position of discarding the opposition leader and instead offering an opportunity to the vice president and current president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez.
“María Corina Machado is fantastic (…), but the immediate reality we face is that, unfortunately, the vast majority of the opposition is no longer present in Venezuela. We have short-term issues that must be addressed immediately,” said Rubior, who added that Maduro’s number two is “someone you can work with.”
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