OSLO – The Norwegian Nobel Committee today announced that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The committee praised her for her unwavering commitment to democratic principles in the face of an authoritarian regime.
In its official statement, the committee declared the award was given to 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.”
The selection committee affirmed that Ms. Machado meets all three criteria established in Alfred Nobel’s will for the Peace Prize, highlighting her unique role in the country’s political crisis. Specifically, the committee noted: She has successfully brought her country’s opposition together. She has never wavered in resisting the militarisation of Venezuelan society. She has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy.
The Nobel Committee also paid tribute to the immense personal risk Machado has undertaken. “In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding despite serious threats against her life,” the statement read, adding that her choice to remain in the country has “inspired millions.” The committee emphasized the “crucial” need to recognize such “courageous defenders of freedom” as democracy retreats globally.
Historically, the committee has honoured individuals who “have stood up to repression, who have carried the hope of freedom in prison cells, on the streets and in public squares, and who have shown by their actions that peaceful resistance can change the world.”
Committee Addresses Trump’s Aspirations
When pressed by reporters regarding US President Donald Trump’s widely publicized desire to win the Peace Prize, Nobel Committee Chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes stated that the panel’s decision-making process remains strictly non-political.
“We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say, what for them leads to peace,” Frydnes responded. He underscored that the decision is based “only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel,” stating that the room where the committee meets is “filled with both courage and integrity.”
_____ (ATP)
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