Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” even as intense attention surrounded U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign for the prize.
In Oslo today, the Norwegian Nobel Committee named María Corina Machado its laureate for 2025, lauding her as a “brave and committed champion of peace” who “keeps the flame of democracy burning during a growing darkness.” The committee emphasized that she meets all the criteria laid out in Alfred Nobel’s will.
Machado, a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition movement, has lived in hiding while facing persecution and threats under the country’s authoritarian regime. Reacting to the announcement, she reportedly said, “I’m in shock!” Her press team added, “We’re shocked with joy.”
The award announcement came amid speculation about Donald Trump’s bid for the prize, which he has publicly lobbied for. Responding to questions about external influence, Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes stated that their selection is based solely on “the work and the will of Alfred Nobel,” noting the committee “sits in a room filled … with both courage and integrity.” The committee also acknowledged that Machado’s personal safety was weighed before naming her, given the serious threats she faces.
International reactions were swift. The United Nations human rights office said the prize “reflects the clear aspirations of the people of Venezuela for free and fair elections, for civil and political rights and for the rule of law.” The European Commission president described Machado’s win as sending “a powerful message the spirit of freedom cannot be jailed.” Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson criticized the committee, accusing it of choosing “politics over peace.”