Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle to defend democratic rights and promote a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. Announcing the decision, Norwegian Nobel Committee Chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes praised Machado as “a brave and committed champion of peace – to a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”
Frydnes noted that Machado, founder of the democratic organization Sumate, has fought for free elections in Venezuela for more than 20 years. “She has united the opposition, resisted militarization, and proven that the tools of democracy are also tools of peace,” he said.
Known for her long-standing opposition to President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, Machado won the opposition primaries in 2023 but was later barred from running in the 2024 election. Despite being forced into hiding following threats and an attempted arrest, she has continued to advocate for freedom and democratic governance in Venezuela.
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