Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado praises Trump: “Champion of freedom”

News blog about US politics

“Champion” – Trump praise from Nobel Peace Prize winner

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Machado finds words of praise for the US President. Iran criticizes the USA for issuing visas for the World Cup. All developments in the news blog.

The Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has supported US President Donald Trump for the tough course against her country. “I fully support President Trump’s strategy, and we, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and his government,” she said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” She called Trump a “champion of freedom” in the Western Hemisphere.

In recent weeks and months, the government of US President Donald Trump has massively increased the pressure on Venezuela and the authoritarian government of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump justifies the use of military force as a necessary tool in the fight against organized drug crime and drug-smuggling “terrorists” who pose a danger to the American population. From the perspective of UN human rights experts, Trump’s government is violating international law.

Asked whether she supported further blockades or seizures, the opposition leader said: “We want all legal action to be taken by law enforcement,” not just the US. In the interview, recorded in Oslo on Friday, she also stated: “Maduro was the one who declared war on the Venezuelan people.”

Iran has sharply criticized the US for obstructing the visa process for Iranian players, officials and fans for the 2026 World Cup. “Our football community has the right to take part in this World Cup without any obstacles, but the USA has so far blatantly violated its obligations in this regard,” said Foreign Office spokesman Ismail Baghai in Tehran.

Accordingly, Iran has already lodged a protest with the world association FIFA and the US interest group in the Swiss embassy in Tehran. “We demand that Washington finally stop politicizing sporting events and at the same time expect that FIFA will also resolutely fulfill its responsibility,” said the spokesman, according to the Isna news agency.

There is growing concern in Iranian football circles that the USA could deny entry to numerous officials and fans of the Iranian Football Association (IFF). The visa status of star striker Mehdi Taremi is also unclear after the Olympiacos Piraeus professional published a post on social media in favor of Palestine and against Iran’s political arch-enemy Israel.

US President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about whether his Republicans will be able to defend the majority in the House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections. Read more about this here.