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OSLO — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been named the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless efforts to advance democratic rights in her country amid escalating political repression.
The Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday, praising Machado for embodying the principles outlined in Alfred Nobel’s will by fostering brotherhood among nations, reducing standing armies, and promoting peace congresses. “Maria Corina Machado meets all three criteria,” the committee stated in its press release.
Machado, 56, rose to prominence as a fierce critic of President Nicolás Maduro’s regime. She coordinated a broad opposition coalition that independent observers say secured victory in Venezuela’s July 2024 presidential election. However, Maduro’s government refused to recognize the results, sparking widespread protests and international condemnation.
In a statement following the announcement, Machado described her homeland as engulfed in “chaos” under Maduro’s rule, highlighting ongoing human rights abuses and economic collapse. “This prize is not just for me—it’s for every Venezuelan fighting for freedom,” she said during a virtual address from hiding, where she has remained since the disputed vote.
The award comes at a tense moment for Venezuela, where security forces have cracked down on dissent, arresting thousands and forcing Machado into seclusion. Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposing new sanctions on Maduro allies earlier this year, the opposition leader’s win underscores global support for democratic reform in the oil-rich nation.
Nobel Committee Chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes emphasized Machado’s role in galvanizing international attention on Venezuela’s crisis during the live broadcast from Stockholm. The prize, worth 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1 million), will be presented to her on December 10 in Oslo.
This year’s Nobel announcements, which began on October 6, have spotlighted global challenges from physics to literature. Machado’s selection follows awards in medicine to researchers advancing cancer treatments and in physics to pioneers in quantum computing.
As Venezuela grapples with hyperinflation and mass emigration—over 7 million people have fled since 2014—Machado’s Nobel recognition could amplify calls for new elections and sanctions relief tied to reforms.
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