The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, for her “tireless work” to promote democratic rights and her push for a peaceful change from authoritarian control.
The committee concluded on October 10 that Machado was “a brave and committed champion of peace” who “keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.” The award is for her work in getting the fragmented opposition to agree on calls for free elections and a government that reflects the people.
Maria Corina Machado meets all three criteria stated in Alfred Nobel’s will for the selection of a Peace Prize laureate, the committee said. She has brought her country’s opposition together. She has never wavered in resisting the militarisation of Venezuelan society. She has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy.
The committee also said that Machado, who helped form the civic group Súmate, has been pushing for free voting and independent institutions for more than 20 years. The report said that she said, “It was a choice of ballots over bullets,” as she talked about her early fight for fair elections.
Before Venezuela’s 2024 election, Machado won the opposition primary, but the government wouldn’t allow him run. The committee reported that following that, she supported Edmundo González Urrutia, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers gathered together to watch the election and keep track of the vote totals. Opposition leaders eventually revealed numbers that they thought showed a clear win, but the government wouldn’t accept the results.
The committee argued that Venezuela’s problems were part of a wider problem with democracy around the world, which included repression, a weaker rule of law, and pressure on the media. It further said that Machado has remained working even though she has been threatened and had to hide, and that her story has inspired millions.
The committee also added, “Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace,” and they agreed that Machado’s commitment to peaceful, citizen opposition meets Alfred Nobel’s criteria for the prize. It added that she helped bring the opposition together, fight against the militarization of society, and always push for peaceful change.
Venezuela is still in a long-term humanitarian and economic disaster, and millions of people have left the country in the last few years. The committee said that Machado’s recognition underscores how vital peaceful civic action is in the battle against authoritarian regimes and the protection of basic rights.
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