Nobel Institute says Venezuelan leader Machado can’t give Peace Prize to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The organization that oversees the Nobel Peace Prize is throwing cold water on talk of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado giving her recent award to President Donald Trump.

Once the Nobel Peace Prize is announced, it can’t be revoked, transferred or shared with others, the Norwegian Nobel Institute said in a short statement on Friday.

“The decision is final and stands for all time,” it said.

The statement comes after Machado said she’d like to give or share the prize with Trump, who oversaw the successful U.S. operation to capture authoritarian Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. He is facing drug trafficking charges in New York.

“I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe — the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people — certainly want to, to give it to him and share it with him,” Machado told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday. “What he has done is historic. It’s a huge step towards a democratic transition.”

Machado dedicated the prize to Trump, along with the people of Venezuela, shortly after it was announced. Trump has coveted and has openly campaigned for winning the Nobel Prize himself since his return to office.

When it comes to governing Venezuela after Maduro’s capture, though, Trump has so far backed someone else: acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who served as vice president under Maduro.

He’s called Machado a “very nice woman” but said she doesn’t currently have the support within Venezuela to govern. He told Hannity on Thursday that Machado plans to visit next week and referred to a potential Peace Prize offering as a “great honor.”

A representative for Machado did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.