María Corina Machado leaves the White House with hope for Venezuela’s freedom.
María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the opposition leader who should be Venezuela’s president, met with Donald Trump for lunch today. Unfortunately, the meeting was closed to the press, but it seemed to last for quite a while, longer than expected, by some accounts.
Immediately after, Machado did leave with a huge smile on her face and a reassuring message for the Venezuelan people: „Know that we are counting on President Trump for the freedom of Venezuela.“
???? BREAKING: Venezuelans ERUPT in cheers after opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says outside the White House, „we count on President Trump for FREEDOM!“
She just met with 47
Machado has dedicated her Nobel Prize to Trump because she know he makes PEACE everywhere! ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/r3Qo8JVczC— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 15, 2026
Dozens of Venezuelan people were gathered outside the White House, waving flags and signs that thanked Donald Trump and the United States for giving them hope for the first time in decades, after the capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Machado stopped to speak with them, hug them, and reassure them that all will be well.
“Thank you, North America. Thank you to the Donald Trump Administration,” reads a sign held by a Venezuelan outside the White House.
Today, Venezuelans are gathering in front of the White House to thank President Trump and to show support for María Corina Machado, the leader of… pic.twitter.com/2XAwBo6EZk— Orlando Avendaño (@OrlvndoA) January 15, 2026
Venezuelans gathered outside the White House to greet María Corina Machado and thank President Trump for his support of freedom in Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/oZDdEZLJ3P— Emmanuel Rincón (@EmmaRincon) January 15, 2026
After her meeting with Trump, Machado spoke with a bipartisan group of members of Congress about her vision for the future of Venezuela. Among other things, she pointed out, „You have no idea how many times I’ve heard, ‚It is impossible. It is impossible to change. It is impossible to end the tyranny.‘ And look what we’ve done.“
María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) en reunión con senadores republicanos y demócratas en el Capitolio de los Estados Unidos. pic.twitter.com/5nQJDmiOzP— Vocería Oficial de Venezuela (@voceriavzla) January 15, 2026
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was apparently in that meeting and spoke of how the first thing she did was say that if not for President Trump, none of this would be possible. He added that if not for Machado, none of it would be either, and he pointed out that it’s not over.
„We don’t have free and fair elections yet. We don’t have free press yet“, Scott said. „We have got to continue to understand that Delcy Rodriguez is not the leader.
