On October 10, 2025, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado, a 58-year-old Venezuelan opposition leader and industrial engineer, recognizing her extraordinary efforts to promote democracy in her homeland. The announcement, made at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, sent ripples through Venezuela and across the globe, as Machado became the first Venezuelan to receive the prestigious honor.
Machado’s name has long been synonymous with resistance to the rule of President Nicolás Maduro Moros, whose twelve-year tenure has been widely criticized as illegitimate and authoritarian. According to the BBC, the Nobel Committee hailed Machado as "one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times." Her tireless campaign against what she and many international observers call a dictatorship has made her both an icon of hope and a target for repression.
Forced into hiding for much of the past year due to serious threats against her life, Machado’s journey has been fraught with peril. In 2024, she attempted to run as the democratic opposition’s candidate in Venezuela’s presidential election. However, Venezuelan courts, loyal to Maduro, disqualified her from the race. Undeterred, Machado threw her support behind Edmundo González Urrutia, a little-known alternative candidate, and managed to unite a notoriously fractured opposition behind him.
The government-controlled National Electoral Council ultimately declared Maduro the winner, citing a 51 percent victory—his third since taking over from Hugo Chávez in 2013. Yet, opposition leaders and international monitors argued the results were rigged. They pointed to independent tallies from polling stations that showed González had actually won by a landslide. The disputed outcome sparked mass protests across Venezuela, with demonstrators demanding transparency and the release of detailed results. The government’s response was swift and brutal, as security forces cracked down on opposition activists and leaders, forcing many, including Machado, further underground.
Upon learning of her Nobel win, Machado expressed both shock and humility. "This immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is an impetus to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom," she said in a statement, as reported by BBC. In a post on X, she added, "We are on the threshold of victory and today more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve freedom and democracy." She also dedicated the prize to "the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause," according to DW.
The Nobel Committee chair, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, lauded Machado’s decision to remain in Venezuela despite the grave dangers she faced. "Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions," Frydnes stated. He emphasized that Machado had been a "key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided... in a brutal authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis." Frydnes also used the occasion to warn that "democracy is in retreat" globally, urging the world to recognize and support courageous defenders of freedom wherever they arise.
International reactions poured in swiftly. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the award "a tribute to all those working to preserve democracy, freedom and political rights around the world," and described Machado as a "champion of democracy." The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights echoed these sentiments, saying the recognition "reflects the clear aspirations of the people of Venezuela for free and fair elections, for civil and political rights and for the rule of law." European leaders, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, praised Machado’s courage and the powerful message her award sends to those who "refuse to be silenced."
Machado’s path to the Nobel Prize has not been without controversy. She has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, particularly after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Her party, Vente Venezuela, signed cooperation agreements with Israel’s Likud Party, pledging to strengthen ties and even suggesting that, if elected, she would move Venezuela’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. These positions, which align closely with Washington, have drawn criticism from some quarters, especially given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million), is scheduled to be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. Whether Machado will be able to attend remains uncertain, given her security situation. If she cannot, she will join the ranks of other laureates who were prevented from receiving their prize in person due to political repression, such as Andrei Sakharov and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Machado’s recognition comes at a time of deep crisis in Venezuela. The country endures a prolonged humanitarian emergency, with millions fleeing poverty, violence, and political persecution. The opposition’s attempts to challenge Maduro’s grip on power have been met with systematic repression: disqualifications, arrests, and alleged human rights violations. The crackdown intensified after the disputed 2024 election, pushing many leaders, including Edmundo González, into exile.
In her acceptance remarks, Machado insisted that the struggle was far from over. "We're not there yet. We're working very hard to achieve it, but I'm sure that we will prevail," she told Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Nobel Institute, during the prize notification call. She also stressed, "I am just, you know, one person. I certainly do not deserve this. This is certainly the biggest recognition to our people that certainly deserve it."
The Nobel Committee’s decision was not without detractors. US President Donald Trump, who had publicly lobbied for the prize, did not win. The White House’s communications director, Steven Cheung, criticized the decision, saying, "The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace." Trump himself claimed to have "stopped eight wars in nine months," and maintained that his efforts to broker peace, especially in the Middle East, were unparalleled. Despite the disappointment, CBS News reported that Trump called Machado to congratulate her, saying she deserved the award.
Machado’s victory marks a new chapter in the long struggle for democracy in Venezuela. Her award not only honors her personal courage but also shines a spotlight on the ongoing fight for freedom and civil rights in a country where such values remain under siege. As the world awaits the Nobel ceremony in December, all eyes will be on whether Machado, the new symbol of hope for millions of Venezuelans, can safely step onto the Oslo stage to accept her prize.
