Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan Iron Lady, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless struggle to restore democracy in Venezuela and defend the rights of its citizens.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, announcing the award at the Nobel Institute in Oslo on Friday, hailed Machado for her bravery and determination in the face of severe repression. “She is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize 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 committee stated.
Machado, a longtime opposition leader, has become a symbol of resistance against President Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian rule. Disqualified from running in the country’s recent election, she remained in Venezuela despite facing death threats and has been living in hiding since January.
Committee Chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Machado stood out as a powerful figure in a deeply divided opposition, uniting factions under a common call for democratic governance.“Machado was 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,” Frydnes said. “Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,” he added.
Maria Corina Machado had been widely expected to challenge Maduro in Venezuela’s 2025 presidential election. However, authorities barred her from standing, prompting the opposition to nominate political newcomer Edmundo González in her place.
The lead-up to the election was marked by widespread repression, including arrests, human rights abuses, and disqualifications of key opposition figures. After Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, dominated by Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner, violent protests erupted across the country. Government forces responded with force, leaving over 20 people dead.
The aftermath of the disputed election triggered international condemnation and led to the severing of diplomatic ties between Venezuela and several countries, including Argentina.
With an arrest warrant issued against him, González fled to Spain, where he was granted asylum. Meanwhile, Machado, despite being forced underground, has continued to be a voice for democratic change and resistance.
This year’s award follows the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, which was given to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organisations, for their decades-long campaign to abolish nuclear weapons and preserve the testimonies of survivors of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In the run-up to this year’s announcement, there had been speculation that former US President Donald Trump might be considered, especially after recent diplomatic efforts related to a Gaza ceasefire.
