Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Venezuela’s struggle

Shafaq News – Oslo

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her long campaign to “restore democracy and defend human rights” in her country, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday.

In a statement, the committee described Machado as “a brave and committed champion of peace” who kept “the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.” It praised her efforts to unite Venezuela’s divided opposition and push for a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule.

A former lawmaker and founder of the civic group Sumate, Machado has spent more than two decades promoting electoral transparency and political reform. Barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, she threw her support behind opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, whose campaign was widely seen as a unifying moment for the country’s pro-democracy movement.

Machado, who has faced threats and periods in hiding, remains in Venezuela. Her resolve, the committee said, has "inspired millions who continue to demand change through peaceful means."

Ahead of the announcement, US President Donald Trump had been widely rumored as a contender after several foreign officials, including Malta’s foreign minister, nominated him for the prize, citing his claimed diplomatic achievements.