OSLO, Norway — Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her steadfast advocacy of democratic rights and a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised her as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times,” highlighting her leadership amid severe repression.
In a video released following the announcement, Machado responded with emotion and humility. “I have no words… this is not mine alone, it belongs to the people of Venezuela,” she said, dedicating the award to Venezuelans enduring hardship under Maduro’s regime.
The committee noted that over the past year, Machado has been forced into hiding because of mounting threats and political persecution after her ally, Edmundo González, was believed to have won the disputed 2024 presidential election—a result rejected by Maduro’s government.
Despite bans barring her from running, she has remained in Venezuela, continuing to galvanize opposition and mobilize civic engagement.
The prize includes a monetary award of 11.1 million Swedish kronor and will be formally presented on December 10, 2025, in Oslo.
A life in resistance
Born in Caracas in October 1967, Machado trained as an industrial engineer and emerged in national politics through civic organisations and activism. She co-founded the electoral monitoring group Súmate and later served in Venezuela’s National Assembly.
During her political career, she sharply criticized both Chávez and Maduro for corruption and democratic backsliding.
In recent years, her political trajectory took more dramatic turns. After being disqualified from candidacy in 2024, she helped steer the opposition’s campaign behind González and structured election monitoring networks that the Nobel Committee lauded as “innovative, brave, peaceful, and democratic.”
Some critics, however, point to her past rhetoric in support of strong international pressure or intervention as a controversial element of her strategy.
International and political reverberations
The Nobel Committee’s choice carries high symbolism: honoring Machado may bolster her protection and international visibility amid Venezuela’s crackdowns.
Analysts say it may also pressure Maduro’s government, which has remained in power thanks to military backing and strategic alliances with global powers like China and Russia.
But Machado’s alignment with certain foreign political figures has drawn scrutiny. In her acceptance remarks, she referenced support from U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a “decisive” ally—statements likely to provoke debate over external influence in Venezuelan politics.
Her win also spotlights broader regional struggles: Venezuela has seen mass migration, violations of human rights, economic collapse, and fragile opposition.
The Nobel committee’s citation frames Machado’s work as countering a regime that “has evolved from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal, authoritarian state.”
As global leaders and regional actors digest the announcement, the question is whether Machado’s prize will translate into concrete gains for democratic forces in Venezuela—or sharpen reprisals.
For now, the Nobel recognition offers her and her cause renewed moral and diplomatic weight in the fraught struggle for Venezuelan democracy.
