The recent spectacle of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former US President Donald Trump at the White House was deeply troubling.
This act was misguided for several reasons. First, a Nobel Peace Prize is not a gift to be handed over to another person to curry favour or influence political support. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has made it clear that the prize itself cannot be transferred, and the honour remains with the original winner, regardless of who holds the physical medal.
Second, using a globally respected symbol of peace to try to gain backing from a foreign leader undermines the very values the award is meant to represent. Peace prizes are meant to honour efforts for peace and democracy — not as bargaining chips in political negotiations. By offering the medal to one of the world’s most polarising figures, the gesture risked cheapening the award and turning serious international recognition into a publicity stunt.
Finally, this move also appears to confuse gratitude with political expediency. Genuine support for democracy and human rights should be based on principles, not on gestures that could be seen as pandering. True leadership in Venezuela’s struggle for democratic change deserves respect but not at the cost of dignity or global norms.
If democratic leaders resort to symbolic theatrics to secure foreign endorsement, they may weaken their moral authority at home and abroad. The Nobel Peace Prize should stand above politics — and so should those who have been honoured with it.
