Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

María Corina Machado, a leading figure of Venezuela’s opposition, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her sustained campaign for democratic rights and a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Machado as a symbol of civilian courage and a unifying force in Venezuela’s opposition movement.

Born in Caracas in 1967, Machado trained as an industrial engineer and completed graduate work in finance. She co-founded the civic group Súmate in the early 2000s to monitor elections and defend voter rights, and served in the National Assembly from 2010 until her seat was removed in 2014 amid contested legal actions. Over two decades she has consistently challenged the governments of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, denouncing authoritarianism, corruption and human rights abuses.

Machado won the 2023 opposition primary by a large margin to become the de facto presidential contender for 2024, but was disqualified from holding public office by the Comptroller General—a decision upheld by the Supreme Court—forcing her to back Edmundo González as a stand‑in candidate. Facing legal persecution, threats and political exclusion, she at times went into hiding inside Venezuela. Many of her allies have been detained, exiled or silenced, and her activism has been constrained by bans, surveillance and repression.

Internationally recognized for human rights work, Machado previously received the Sakharov Prize and the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize in 2024. The Nobel citation highlighted her “tireless work promoting democratic rights” and her role in mobilizing civic resistance. Supporters say the award bolsters the opposition’s moral authority, raises global visibility and could strengthen calls for international pressure and diplomatic leverage.

The prize lands amid intense polarization in Venezuela, where the Maduro government maintains control over state institutions and has been accused of repressing dissent around the 2024 election period—actions that included disqualifications, arrests and violent crackdowns on protests. Observers warn the Nobel accolade may intensify domestic tensions and increase the risks Machado faces.

The Nobel nod strengthens Machado’s international standing and may boost efforts to coordinate allied pressure, sanctions calibration and negotiation strategies.