Machado Wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Defending Democracy in Venezuela

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her unwavering commitment to democratic rights and her peaceful struggle to restore democracy in Venezuela.
In its announcement on Friday, the Committee praised Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her efforts to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
The committee described Machado as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times,” noting her role in uniting a once-divided opposition under a common goal of free and fair elections.
Venezuela, once a relatively prosperous democracy, has in recent years descended into authoritarianism marked by economic collapse, political repression, and a mass exodus of nearly eight million citizens. Opposition members have faced imprisonment, harassment, and persecution for challenging the regime.
Machado first emerged as a prominent democracy advocate over two decades ago when she co-founded Súmate, an organisation dedicated to promoting free and fair elections. Despite severe repression, she has consistently called for judicial independence, human rights, and representative governance — famously declaring her commitment to “ballots over bullets.”
Ahead of Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, Machado won the opposition’s nomination but was barred from contesting by the government. She later backed Edmundo González Urrutia, helping mobilise hundreds of thousands of volunteers across political divides to monitor polling stations and safeguard vote counts, despite threats of arrest and violence.
Although the opposition’s tally indicated a clear victory, the regime refused to acknowledge the results, prompting widespread condemnation from the international community.
The Nobel Committee said Machado’s courage and persistence exemplify the spirit of peaceful resistance that Alfred Nobel sought to honour, emphasising that “democracy is a precondition for lasting peace.”
It added that in an era when democracy is under global threat, Machado’s leadership serves as a reminder that “freedom must never be taken for granted but must always be defended with words, with courage, and with determination.”
Machado, who has been forced into hiding due to threats against her life, has remained in Venezuela, inspiring millions through her resilience and steadfastness.
“Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace,” the Committee said. “She embodies the hope of a future where citizens’ rights are protected and their voices are heard.”