The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who on Friday dedicated the honor to U.S. President Donald Trump. The decision by the Nobel Committee sparked unexpected reactions as Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer living in hiding, expressed gratitude for what she described as Trump’s “decisive support” for Venezuela’s struggle.

Machado, blocked from running for president in 2024 by Venezuela’s courts, praised the award as recognition of the “struggle of all Venezuelans” and emphasized her belief that victory for freedom was near. In a statement shared on social media, she declared: “I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!”

The Nobel Committee’s selection drew attention amid ongoing tensions in Venezuela, where Machado has been a prominent figure opposing President Nicolas Maduro’s regime. In a phone call with the committee’s secretary, Kristian Berg Harpviken, Machado expressed humility, stating: “I thank you so much, but I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person.”

The announcement followed years of political and economic turmoil in Venezuela, with Machado positioning herself as a symbol of resistance against authoritarian rule.