Oslo [Norway]: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader and democracy activist Maria Corina Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights” and her “struggle for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” The committee described her as a “brave and committed champion of peace” and praised her as a “woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”

Machado’s role in Venezuelan democracy

Machado, a central figure in Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement, has been a symbol of civilian courage in Latin America. She has long challenged the repressive regime of Nicolás Maduro, enduring threats, arrests, political persecution, and restrictions on her political participation. Despite constant risk, Machado has remained in Venezuela, inspiring millions through her advocacy for peaceful resistance and free elections.

During Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election, when the government barred her candidacy, she supported opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and helped mobilise citizens to monitor polling stations, document results, and expose electoral fraud.

“The tools of democracy are also the tools of peace,” the Nobel Committee stated, noting that Machado embodies hope for a future where citizens’ fundamental rights are protected and their voices heard.

Who is Maria Corina Machado?

  • Political leader: National Coordinator of Vente Venezuela, a liberal political party she co-founded in 2013, and former Member of the National Assembly (2010–2015).
  • Founder of democracy platforms: Helped establish Súmate and SoyVenezuela, promoting democratic transition and free elections.
  • Voice of resistance: Expelled from parliament in 2014 after denouncing human rights abuses; has faced treason charges, travel bans, and political disqualification.
  • International recognition: Named in BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women (2018); recipient of Charles T. Manatt Prize (2014), Libertad Cortes de Cádiz (2015), and Liberal International Freedom Prize (2019).
  • Economic vision: Advocates liberalisation of Venezuela’s economy, oil privatisation, and engagement with international institutions.
  • Education: Degree in industrial engineering from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and finance specialisation from IESA.

Nobel Peace Prize process

Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize are confidential and can only be submitted by qualified individuals, such as national legislators, university professors, former laureates, or directors of peace institutes. Self-nominations are not permitted. The committee reviews all nominations, aiming for consensus in awarding the prize, which is presented in Oslo, Norway, unlike other Nobel Prizes awarded in Stockholm.

Established in 1895 by Alfred Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize recognises contributions to peace, fraternity between nations, or reduction of military forces. It has been awarded 106 times, occasionally shared among multiple laureates, and 20 women have received it, beginning with Bertha von Suttner in 1905.

Conclusion

Maria Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize highlights the enduring link between democracy and peace, underscoring the courage required to oppose authoritarianism. Her recognition sends a powerful message about the role of civilian leadership and civic activism in shaping a peaceful, democratic future.