Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado Wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
The award honors her long and difficult fight for democracy and human rights in Venezuela.
OSLO – The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition figure. The announcement on Friday came as a surprise to many who had expected other high-profile nominees to win.
The committee recognized 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.”
This year’s prize had 338 nominees, including both individuals and organizations. Much of the global attention was focused on President Donald Trump, who was nominated by several countries. Trump has often highlighted his role in international peace deals, including a recently announced ceasefire in Gaza. His supporters had hoped these actions would secure him the prestigious award.
However, the Nobel committee chose to shine a light on Machado’s persistent efforts to bring about peaceful change in her home country. For years, she has been a leading voice against the ruling government, advocating for free and fair elections despite facing significant personal risk.
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most anticipated awards of the season. With the prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, and peace now announced, the 2025 Nobel season will conclude on Monday with the announcement of the prize in economics.
