Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long fight for democracy in her country. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised her for promoting human rights and leading a peaceful resistance against the rule of President Nicolás Maduro.
Announcing the award in Oslo, committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said Machado had become “a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided.” He described her as “a courageous defender of freedom who has inspired millions of Venezuelans to keep demanding fair elections.”
“Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country,” Frydnes said. “When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise those who rise and resist.”
Machado’s win surprised many observers, as speculation had focused on U.S. President Donald Trump, whose proposed Middle East ceasefire drew international attention. Frydnes dismissed the rumours, saying the committee based its decision “only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”
Who is Maria Corina Machado?
Maria Corina Machado, 58, is one of Venezuela’s most recognised pro-democracy voices. She began her public career in the early 2000s after co-founding Súmate, a citizen group that monitored elections and promoted transparency.
A trained industrial engineer, Machado served in Venezuela’s National Assembly from 2010 to 2015. She was expelled from parliament after accusing the Maduro government of human rights abuses at the Organisation of American States.
She later founded the liberal political party Vente Venezuela and became one of the regime’s most outspoken critics. Over the years, she has faced arrest warrants, travel bans, and disqualification from public office.
Despite repeated crackdowns, Machado remained in the country, calling for peaceful resistance. “It was a choice of ballots over bullets,” she once said, describing her approach to political struggle.
Why the Nobel Peace Prize was given to her
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Machado met all three criteria in Alfred Nobel’s will for the peace prize: bringing unity, resisting militarisation, and advocating a peaceful transition to democracy.
“Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace,” the committee said in its statement. “She embodies the hope of a different future, one where citizens’ voices are heard.”
The committee highlighted her role during Venezuela’s 2024 election, when she was barred from running but supported opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. Despite government pressure, she mobilised thousands of volunteers to monitor polling stations and collect vote tallies.
Her efforts exposed widespread fraud after the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner. The revelation sparked nationwide protests, which were met with violent repression that left more than 20 people dead.
Her work and legacy
Machado’s activism stretches back more than two decades. Through Súmate, she trained citizens to observe elections and report irregularities. Her later movement, Vente Venezuela, built alliances across political lines to push for democratic change.
She has faced charges of treason and conspiracy, and has been accused by state media of plotting against the government. Despite these accusations, she continues to advocate non-violence and civic participation.
Her work has gained international recognition. The European Union awarded her the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2024. The United Nations human rights office called her Nobel win “a reflection of the Venezuelan people’s aspirations for justice and the rule of law.”
Nina Graeger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said Machado’s award was “a prize for democracy.” She noted that “at a time when authoritarianism is rising worldwide, this decision honours those who fight for peace through ballots, not bullets.”
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize draws attention to Venezuela’s ongoing political and humanitarian crisis. More than seven million people have fled the country in recent years, and dissent continues to be met with violence.
For many Venezuelans, her recognition offers a rare moment of hope. As Frydnes said during the ceremony, “Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent. Maria Corina Machado reminds us that freedom must always be defended, with words, courage, and determination.”
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