Rodríguez accused Machado of supporting foreign military action against Venezuela, saying it was unacceptable for a Venezuelan to express gratitude for the bombing that caused suffering to the population . She said the Venezuelan people reject any form of aggression that brings anguish to families, particularly to children and young people.

During her visit to the La Soublette sector, one of the areas impacted by the operation aimed at capturing President Nicolás Maduro, Rodríguez led an aid initiative to support around 5,500 families. The assistance included medical care, infrastructure repairs and veterinary services .

The statement comes in the wake of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s visit to the White House on 15 January 2026, during which she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump as a symbolic “gesture of gratitude” for his support in Venezuela’s political transition. While Trump accepted the framed medal and publicly thanked Machado, officials from the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the body that selects Peace Prize laureates, emphasised that the title and recognition of the award remain with Machado and cannot be legally reassigned.

Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her long-standing advocacy for democracy and human rights in Venezuela’s struggle against authoritarian rule, described the presentation of the medal as a sign of respect and shared commitment to freedom. Trump praised the gesture on social media and displayed the framed medal in the White House. However, the Nobel institutions clarified that while a physical medal may change hands, the official status and merit of the Nobel Prize do not transfer with it.

The incident has sparked debate within Norway and internationally, with critics arguing that such public displays risk politicising one of the world ’s most respected honours. Some Norwegian politicians labelled the act “absurd” and warned it could undermine the prestige of the prize, insisting the award’s meaning derives from a strict process and enduring principles established by Alfred Nobel.

By reaffirming that Nobel Prizes cannot be revoked or shared after they are awarded, the Nobel Foundation aims to uphold both the legal framework of Nobel honours and their symbolic value in global peace and scientific advancement. The recent controversy highlights the tension between political symbolism and the institutional safeguards designed to protect the Nobel legacy.

Without mentioning names, Lukashenko referenced previous laureates, saying, “Remember the case with the U.S. President who did nothing at all, became President, and received this prize.”

Calling the decision “shortsighted” and a “disservice to the peace process,” Lukashenko warned that snubbing Trump could damage future diplomatic efforts. “Trump has done quite a bit for peace... I am absolutely convinced that he should have been tied to the peaceful process with this prize.”

He also dismissed Machado, saying, “I don’t know this Venezuelan person and don’t want to speak about him,” adding that the Nobel Committee had chosen someone “not interested in peace.”

"Ms Machado is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy," committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said in a statement. "She has been a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided."

Maduro has previously labelled Machado as "toxic," accusing her of conspiring against the country and urging her to "leave Venezuela alone so that it can continue on its path of recovery and prosperity."

The decision sparked political reactions abroad as well. A White House spokesperson criticised the choice, saying the committee had "chosen politics over peace ."

Machado's Nobel Peace Prize win places her among a small number of Latin American figures to receive the honour and is likely to intensify debate over the role of international institutions in Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis.