Venezuelan opposition leader and pro-democracy activist María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to restore democracy in her country.
Announcing the award in Oslo on Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee described the 58-year-old as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America,” praising her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.”
Machado has been a leading critic of President Nicolás Maduro’s 12-year rule, which many Western nations and human rights groups regard as illegitimate. She has spent much of the past year in hiding while continuing to campaign against what the committee called Venezuela’s “brutal authoritarian state.”
Nobel Committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Machado was recognized for her “struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” He noted that despite threats to her life, she has remained in Venezuela, “a choice that has inspired millions.”
Barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election—an outcome widely dismissed as neither free nor fair—Machado nonetheless helped unite the fractured opposition behind candidate Edmundo González. Independent vote tallies showed González winning by a wide margin, though the government-controlled electoral council declared Maduro the victor, sparking nationwide protests.
Responding to the award in a video message, Machado expressed surprise and gratitude, calling it “the achievement of a whole society.” She said, “I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this.” González congratulated her on social media, calling the honor “a well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy.”
During the announcement, Frydnes warned that “democracy is in retreat” globally, citing patterns of “rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed toward authoritarian rule and militarization.”
He added that the committee hopes Machado can attend the award ceremony in Oslo in December but acknowledged that her security remains a concern.
This year, 338 candidates were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, whose shortlist remains confidential for 50 years. Among those publicly rumored to be contenders was former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has frequently claimed he deserves the honor. Asked whether such campaigns influence the committee’s decisions, Frydnes said, “We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”
The Nobel Peace Prize, one of six annual awards established by Alfred Nobel, honors individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to humanity. Frydnes said Machado “meets all the criteria” and “embodies hope for the future.”
