Venezuelan opposition leader and democracy advocate, María Corina Machado, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering campaign to restore democratic governance and human rights in Venezuela.
Announcing the award on Friday in Oslo, the Norwegian Nobel Committee commended Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
The committee described her as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America,” crediting her leadership with uniting a once-fractured political opposition.
“This is precisely what lies at the heart of democracy — our shared willingness to defend the principles of popular rule, even when we disagree,” the committee stated. “At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground.”
Machado, a prominent critic of President Nicolás Maduro, has been at the forefront of Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement for more than a decade.
Her activism intensified after years of political repression and economic collapse that have forced roughly eight million Venezuelans to flee the country since 2014, according to Human Rights Watch.
Barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election, Machado threw her support behind Edmundo González, an opposition figure from another party, who independent observers believe won by a wide margin.
Despite widespread allegations of fraud, Maduro declared victory, prompting protests and a violent crackdown known as “Operation Tun Tun,” which involved arrests, killings, and suppression of dissent.
Machado has remained in hiding since the election but continues to speak out from within Venezuela.
The Nobel Committee said its decision to honour her “has inspired millions of people” across the world who continue to fight for freedom and justice.
Trump’s Bid Falls Short
US President Donald Trump, who had publicly sought the Nobel Peace Prize, was among this year’s high-profile contenders.
Trump’s administration has been a vocal critic of Maduro, and in August, it doubled the reward for information leading to the Venezuelan leader’s arrest — now standing at $50 million — accusing him of large-scale narcotics trafficking.
Despite the campaign, the Nobel Committee chose Machado over Trump, recognising her peaceful struggle for democracy as a symbol of hope for oppressed people in Venezuela and beyond.
Daily Trust
