January 2026

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has presented former U.S. President Donald Trump with a symbolic Nobel Peace Prize medallion, officials say. The unofficial medallion, not issued by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, was described as a gesture recognizing Trump’s stance on Venezuela and support for opposition efforts against President Nicolás Maduro. The private meeting and presentation highlight Machado’s ongoing push for international backing in her campaign for political change in Venezuela, as observers track how symbolic acts shape foreign engagement with the country’s crisis.

The United States approved a $1.5 billion foreign military sale to Peru to expand and modernize the Callao naval base near Lima’s international airport. The State Department said the package includes engineering, construction, equipment, training, and logistics support and will bring up to 20 US government and contractor personnel to Peru for up to 10 years. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the deal, which aims to strengthen Peru’s maritime security and defense capabilities. The announcement follows the inauguration of a separate Chinese-funded mega-port in Peru, though US officials did not formally link the two projects.