US President Donald Trump did not support the candidacy of Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado for the post of new president of Venezuela because she did not give up the Nobel Peace Prize to him, writes The Washington Post.

The US president's lack of interest in strengthening Machado's position, despite her recent attempts to flatter Trump, was connected to her decision to accept the Nobel Peace Prize—an award that the US president, without concealing, himself longed to receive, as per two sources close to the White House.

According to one of these sources, although Machado eventually announced that she was dedicating the prize to Trump, her very agreement to accept the award became a mortal sin.

If Machado had refused and said she can't accept it because it belongs to Donald Trump, she would be the president of Venezuela today, the source added.

Earlier, Trump had expressed the opinion that Machado would not be able to lead Venezuela because its citizens do not support her.

In 2025, Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work to promote democratic values for the Venezuelan people and for her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela.

On January 3, the US military launched an attack on Venezuela, arrested and expelled President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from the country.