The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 10, that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is the recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, citing her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Machado, 58, becomes the first Venezuelan to win the Peace Prize, and is now the sixth laureate from Latin America.
Speaking from her secret location in Venezuela, Machado expressed humility and deep gratitude, dedicating the honor to the Venezuelan people who have endured hardship and repression. The Nobel Committee described her as a unifying figure in a fragmented opposition, and praised her decision to remain in the country despite threats and bans on her political activity.
Over the past year, Machado has lived in hiding after being barred from the 2024 presidential election by Venezuela’s high court and electoral authorities—the move widely viewed as politically motivated. Before that, she had won the opposition’s primary by a decisive margin but was legally disqualified. Her activism has included mobilizing civil society, documenting human rights violations and campaigning for free and fair elections in the face of a tightly controlled government apparatus.
The award comes as some observers speculated that U.S. President Donald Trump, amid his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, might be a contender for the 2025 Peace Prize. But the Nobel Committee emphasized it based its decision strictly on Machado’s work, noting that it is bound by its mandate and insulated from public lobbying or pressure.
International reaction was swift. The United Nations human rights office welcomed the decision as a recognition of popular aspirations in Venezuela. In the United States, the White House criticized the decision, suggesting the Committee had prioritized politics over peace, while Trump’s aides decried what they called a “snub.” Meanwhile, supporters and activists within Venezuela hailed the award as a signal of hope and international solidarity.
Machado will receive the formal award at a ceremony in Oslo on December 10, 2025, including the Nobel diploma, medal, and monetary prize (11 million Swedish kronor). Her selection is widely seen as an affirmation of the endurance of democratic ideals under repression, and a moral bolstering to Venezuelan opposition forces at a moment of political crisis and escalating international attention.
