馃嚫馃嚦SenegalWest Africa
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado defends giving Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump
via SeneNews2 min read
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado stated on Saturday in Madrid that she does not regret symbolically offering her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump. Machado explained that Trump was the only world leader who "put the lives of his country's citizens at risk for the freedom of Venezuela." She had presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a meeting in January 2026. Machado also confirmed that she is coordinating her return to Venezuela with the United States government, emphasizing Washington's "fundamental role in moving towards a democratic transition." She criticized Colombian President Gustavo Petro for calling for a coalition government in Venezuela between interim President Delcy Rodr铆guez and the opposition, and for announcing a visit to Venezuela on April 24. Machado described Petro's actions as attempts to "desperately seek excuses, maneuvers, to prevent the advancement of the electoral process in Venezuela," and characterized Delcy Rodr铆guez as representing "chaos, violence, and terror." During her visit to Madrid, following a stop in France where she met with President Emmanuel Macron, Machado met with right-wing and far-right opposition leaders but not with socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. She is scheduled to participate in a demonstration with supporters later on Saturday.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadFormer President Macky Sall expressed gratitude to his supporters in Dakar following his return to Senegal. This message, shared on his social media, aligns with his efforts to secure support for his candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General. After his audience with the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, former head of state Macky Sall thanked the many activists and sympathizers of the Alliance for the Republic APR who welcomed him upon his arrival at L茅opold-S茅dar-Senghor Airport in Dakar. He simply wrote "Thank you!!" on his social media, accompanying his message with several photos showing a large crowd mobilized for his return to Senegal. This trip marked his first visit to the country since leaving power in April 2024.
Must ReadPresident Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sought an opinion from the Constitutional Council regarding the legal feasibility of holding early legislative elections and local elections concurrently. This move comes as the potential dissolution of the National Assembly by the end of November 2026 appears increasingly likely. According to Article 87 of the Constitution, the head of state can dissolve the National Assembly after consulting the Prime Minister and the President of the Assembly, provided the dissolution does not occur within the first two years of the legislature. With deputies installed following the November 17, 2024 elections, this legal window would open from late November 2026. If the Constitutional Council approves the possibility of combined elections, Senegal could, for the first time, organize early legislative and local elections simultaneously. Territorial elections are currently scheduled before the expiration of local executive mandates in January 2027. Such a scenario would significantly alter the electoral calendar and political dynamics leading up to 2027.
Must ReadFormer President Macky Sall returned to the Presidential Palace for his first meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye since the transfer of power in April 2024. Images released on Friday showed a cordial handshake between the two leaders before their discussions in the presidential palace's lounges. Sall's visit to Dakar, his first since leaving office, is part of his diplomatic campaign for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.