Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado dedicated her surprise Nobel Peace Prize win on Friday to President Donald Trump, praising him for his “decisive support” in her country’s fight for freedom.

“We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve freedom and democracy,” Machado posted on X. “I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.”

Trump’s candidacy for the Nobel Peace Prize had gained serious traction after his administration brokered a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, earning him praise from foreign leaders and voters alike. Many observers view that agreement — along with his past work negotiating conflicts in the Middle East and ties to Gulf states — as bolstering his credentials as a peacemaker. That build-up made Machado’s dedication to him even more potent, tying her victory to the prestige Trump has cultivated on the global stage.

The recognition marks the first time a Venezuelan has won the Nobel Peace Prize, as the country continues to suffer under the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro.

Machado — a longtime opposition leader who has been threatened, banned from office, and repeatedly targeted by the regime — has been the face of Venezuela’s democratic movement.

Her nod to Trump comes after the former president stepped up pressure on the Maduro government, cutting off diplomatic ties, slapping sanctions on regime officials, and offering a $50 million reward for Maduro’s arrest on drug-trafficking charges.

Trump reposted Machado’s comments to Truth Social, though he made no additional statement. White House communications director Steven Cheung also chimed in, saying the Nobel Committee “once again chose politics over peace.”

Analysts say Machado’s public thanks could resonate among Latino voters in the U.S., especially in Florida, where large Venezuelan and Cuban communities have long applauded Trump’s hard-line stance against socialist governments in Latin America.

The Nobel Committee, meanwhile, said Machado was chosen for her “unwavering defense of democratic values and the pursuit of peaceful change” — a subtle nod to her decades-long battle against authoritarian rule.

While Trump didn’t claim the prize himself this year, Machado’s tribute added to the perception among supporters that his foreign-policy record continues to shape global politics.

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