Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado Wins Nobel Peace Prize

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a decision that champions the persistent and often perilous struggle for democracy against authoritarian rule, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

The announcement, made in Oslo on Friday, serves as a powerful international recognition of a woman who has become a unifying symbol of resistance in a nation ravaged by a deep and protracted political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.

The committee's choice of Machado, a "brave and committed champion of peace" who has been forced to live in hiding, stands in stark contrast to the high-profile and highly public campaign for the prize waged by U.S. President Donald Trump, who, despite a last-minute breakthrough in the Gaza conflict, was ultimately passed over for the prestigious honor.

The selection of María Corina Machado from a field of 338 nominees, which included 244 individuals and 94 organizations, was announced by Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee. In his formal citation, Frydnes lauded Machado for her pivotal role in uniting a once-fractured opposition and for her unwavering commitment to non-violent change.

He described her as a "key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided — an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government," as reported by the Associated Press.

The Nobel Committee's statement highlighted the immense personal risks Machado has faced in her long and arduous struggle against the authoritarian regime in Venezuela.

"In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions," Frydnes stated. "When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”

The committee also praised her dedication to "defend the principles of popular rule, even though we disagree."

Machado, an industrial engineer by training and a former member of the National Assembly of Venezuela, has been a prominent and unyielding voice in the country's opposition movement for over two decades.

She first came to prominence in 2002 as a co-founder of the vote-monitoring civil society group Súmate. She currently leads the Vente Venezuela political party and has consistently advocated for a return to democratic principles and the rule of law.

Her efforts have been met with significant and often brutal suppression from the state, including legal prosecution and a constant barrage of threats.

The Nobel Committee's decision to honor a figure locked in a direct and ongoing struggle with an authoritarian government is a powerful statement at a time when democratic norms are under threat in many parts of the world.

It also represents a choice for a laureate whose work aligns closely with the core tenets of Alfred Nobel's will, which calls for the prize to be awarded to those who "advance fellowship among nations" and work for disarmament and peace.

Experts have noted that the committee often focuses on the quiet, long-term work of institutions and individuals who strengthen the foundations of peace and democracy, a description that fits Machado's decades-long activism.

The announcement came after days of intense and persistent speculation about the possibility that the prize might go to U.S. President Donald Trump. This speculation was fueled in large part by the president himself, who has been engaged in a highly unusual and vociferous public campaign for the award for years.

This effort reached a fever pitch this week with the formal approval of his administration's plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. As previously reported by Kurdistan24, the breakthrough in the nearly two-year-old war prompted a flurry of eleventh-hour lobbying from his supporters, including a formal nomination from Republican Congressman Buddy Carter and a supportive social media post from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Trump has consistently argued that his diplomatic achievements, which he claims include the resolution of eight wars in nine months, make him uniquely deserving of the prize. However, experts who closely follow the Nobel process had been predicting for days that his chances were virtually zero.

They pointed to a number of factors, including the fact that the Nobel Committee had finalized its decision on Monday, two full days before the Gaza deal was announced, and that the prize typically honors achievements from the preceding year.

Furthermore, many of his "America First" policies, such as his withdrawal from international agreements and his administration's crackdown on domestic dissent, were seen as running counter to the prize's ideals of international fraternity and cooperation.

The selection of Machado effectively serves as a pointed rebuke to the more transactional and personality-driven brand of diplomacy often favored by President Trump, and instead elevates the principled, grassroots struggle for fundamental human and political rights.

Last year's award, which went to Nihon Hidankyo, a movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons, also reflected the committee's preference for honoring long-term, principled advocacy over short-term political deal-making.

The Nobel Peace Prize, which is the only one of the annual Nobel prizes to be awarded in Oslo, Norway, carries with it a diploma, a gold medal, and a significant cash award. It also carries immense global prestige, which will now be conferred upon María Corina Machado, providing a powerful new platform and a significant morale boost for the Venezuelan democratic opposition.

As she continues her struggle from the shadows, the light of the Nobel Peace Prize will now shine brightly on her cause, sending an unmistakable message of solidarity from the international community and reaffirming the universal value of the fight for freedom and democracy.

This report was updated at 12:29 PM on Friday Oct. 10, 2025.