Corina Machado, 58, the Venezuelan opposition leader who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, repeatedly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, 79.
Machado said in a Spanish-language interview with the BBC on the 11th (local time), "I am grateful for what President Trump is doing for peace around the world."
She added that she spoke with Trump after winning the Nobel and said, "I conveyed how grateful the people of Venezuela are for what President Trump is doing for peace, freedom and democracy not only in the Americas but around the world."
Machado stressed that the Nobel Peace Prize has energized her political movement aimed at restoring democracy in Venezuela and ending dictatorship.
She said, "This prize gives the people of Venezuela energy, hope and strength, and makes us realize we are not alone," adding, "Democrats around the world are joining our struggle." She then said, "I believe President Trump and the international community are already helping the political situation in Venezuela."
Machado said, "The Venezuelan regime has a criminal organizational structure and is sustained by relying on the flow of criminal funds from illegal activities," and urged, "The international community must cut off those flows of money used for corruption, repression, violence and terror."
She added, "If we sever the flow of money coming from drug trafficking, gold and weapons smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal oil deals, the regime will collapse," and, "Right now we are seeing those cracks deepen."
The Norwegian Nobel Committee the previous day selected Machado as this year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, calling her "a woman who kept the flame of democracy alive in the darkest of times."
Machado has led the pro-democracy movement for more than a decade against the dictatorship of President Nicolás Maduro, who has held power for an extended period. Last year she was chosen as the unified opposition presidential candidate, but the Supreme Court, controlled by the Maduro regime, stripped her of her eligibility to run for public office for 15 years, blocking her candidacy. She is currently believed to be in hiding in her country.
Immediately after the award, she also said on social media (X, formerly Twitter), "I thank President Trump and the United States, the countries of Latin America, and the free and democratic nations around the world for their support," adding, "I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump, who has stood with our cause."
In response, President Trump also said, "Machado told me, 'This prize is for you,'" and called it "a very warm and moving thing." Recently, the Trump administration has bolstered military deployments in waters near Venezuela, confronting the Maduro regime.