McHado gave the Nobel Prize medal to Trump, but he still thinks she is not suitable to lead Venezuela
US President Trump met with visiting Venezuelan opposition leader, the latest Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ms. McHado, at the White House. After the US military arrested Venezuelan President Maduro, Trump believed that McHado was not qualified to lead the country and was still upset that she won the Nobel Prize instead of him.
A AFP photojournalist found that McHado entered the White House at 17:00 UTC, and was scheduled to have lunch with Trump without media presence. The night before McHado's visit to the White House, Trump had a "long call" with the interim president of Venezuela, former Vice President Rodriguez. Trump praised Rodriguez, the former vice president of Maduro, while the latter described their conversation as "productive and polite."
After about an hour, McHado left the White House. She described the meeting as "very good," and said she had given the Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, but it is currently unclear whether the US president accepted the gift. Trump has long desired this honor.
This Venezuelan opposition leader told reporters that she hoped this gesture would pay tribute to Trump's commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people. However, no details of their meeting were disclosed.
However, during McHado's meeting with Trump, White House spokesperson Levitt told the media: "Trump very much wanted to meet McHado because she is a brave person, but the president has not changed his mind, and he still believes that McHado is not the right person to lead Venezuela." Trump has not shown any willingness to support the Venezuelan opposition, and has also refused to hold new elections in the country.
When asked how Trump viewed McHado sharing the Nobel Peace Prize with him, Trump said, "I heard she wants to do so, which would be a great honor for me." However, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee issued a statement saying that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or canceled. On Wednesday, when the media asked again, Trump denied wanting McHado to give him the Nobel Prize.
McHado, who has been hiding from her country's regime for ten years and living underground domestically, fled Venezuela in December. She hopes to get Trump's support and play a key role in Venezuela's future. But after the US military arrested Maduro, Trump said that McHado was not the appropriate presidential candidate because she did not receive "enough respect" in her country. Instead, he repeatedly praised Maduro's vice president Rodriguez, praising him as "easy to talk to."
The Venezuelan opposition, both inside and outside the country, expressed hope that Venezuela would start a democratic transition, but they did not expect that Trump's arrest order for Maduro would hand over power to the close associates of the Maduro regime, whom the Venezuelan opposition has resisted for years.
At least for now, Trump opposes holding elections in Venezuela in the short term, claiming that the US will control the country to ensure sufficient oil access for the US.
Source: rfi
US forces capture the president of Venezuela
Original: toutiao.com/article/1854429640869900/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.