Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado’s decision to gift her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump has been met with criticism.

The Nobel Peace Centre responded to Machado’s move by stressing that Ms Machado remains the recipient of the honour, adding: “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others”.

“But one truth remains. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee states: ‘Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time.’ A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot,” the message continued.

American author Joyce Carol Oates described Machado’s gesture as an act of “grovelling before the most loathsome of male leaders”.

One journalist called it “one of the greatest acts of vassalage in recent history”, with another user accusing Machado of “pandering” to the US, as reported by Middle East Eye.

The media outlet also reported how social media users have argued that Trump’s acceptance of the second-hand prize is an “embarrassment” and a move that “diminishes” Trump and shows “a lack of pride” from the US president.

“Shows the faulty judgment of the Nobel Prize committee in honouring such a flighty person,” said Kanwal Sibal, former foreign secretary of India, as reported by Middle East Eye. “Theatre of the Absurd.”

Following their exchange, Trump thanked Machado for the “great honour”, but stopped short of endorsing her for president.

He wrote on Truth Social: ‘It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today. She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much.

Machado said the gesture was to recognise the US president’s commitment to her country’s freedom after former leader Nicolás Maduro was captured in Caracas and taken to the US alongside his wife to face a federal judge. The photograph circulated by the White House shows Mr Trump holding the medal in a large frame. Beneath the medal, it said: “Presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”

Machado added: “I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize… [It’s] a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom… I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans.”

She called the gift “a sign of the brotherhood” between the two countries “in their fight for freedom against tyranny”.