The leader of the Venezuelan opposition. Maria Corina Machado, has been named the Nobel Prize for Peace winner in 2025 for her unwavering commitment to defending democracy, human rights, and democratic change through peaceful means in Venezuela. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the winner on Friday and thanked Machado as “a heroic and dedicated intercessor for peace” who has maintained, even against the “growing darkness,” “the flame of democracy.”
She has received the award for her steadfast commitment to restoring democratic rights. And being the leader of the secure struggle for democracy and against dictatorship. As the leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela. She has become a symbol of the public courage in Latin America in demanding democracy for its beloved people. Her leadership has shaped the fractured body politic of Venezuela into, and executed, a singular goal. Free and fair electoral process.
In the announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that the relentless commitment to democratic principles represents the spirit of democracy and the idea that people can remain committed to the principles of popular rule, even when not always agreeing with one another. DMA’s right now throwing into consideration that this truth is more important than ever when so many countries are experiencing authoritarian regimes and as a reminder that even under the most oppressive measures in the entire world, victories of freeing nations and governments headed by civils over authoritarians must be defended with words, courage, and commitment.
Over several decades, Venezuela transitioned from a democratic, wealthy nation to a repressive state facing economic collapse and a grave humanitarian crisis. Millions of citizens have fled the country as hardships heightened and governmental suppression of dissent intensified. Still, Machado remained a voice for justice, already at great personal risk.
In 2002, she co-founded Súmate, a civic organization whose mission is to ensure elections are transparent to the citizens. She famously said that “It was a vote over a bullet” in reference to the importance of voting when ballots were not guaranteed. Since then, she has used her voice to advocate for judicial independence, human rights, and the rule of law. Even after being disqualified from the 2024 presidential elections in the country. She remained an active supporter of another opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. Where she helped recruit hundreds of thousands of volunteers from the opposition to monitor the vote.
So those volunteers, if discovered, faced arrest and violence just for trying to protect the integrity of the ballots. In fact, the effort demonstrated that the opposition clearly won: although the regime will simply not accept that outcome. Despite experiencing repression. Machado continued to galvanize millions of people through messages of peaceful resistance and calls to transition back to democracy.
The Nobel Committee said she had exceptional courage to stay in Venezuela. Regardless of the severity of the threats to her life. Because she was acting on behalf of all citizens who benefitted from her courage. Machado is representative of a hope that a political future is possible where citizens’ rights are protected and their voices are heard. “Maria Corina Machado has shown democracy has a future”!
[…] Maria Corina Machado Wins Nobel Peace Prize 2025 […]