Venezuela’s opposition leader and pro-democracy activist María Coria Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The 58-year-old was hailed by the Nobel Committee as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times” and recognized for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.”
Machado has long campaigned against President Nicolás Maduro Moros, whose 12-year rule is considered illegitimate by many nations. She has spent much of the past year in hiding due to threats against her life but continued to lead and unify the country’s divided opposition.
Last year, Machado was barred from running in the presidential elections, which saw Maduro secure a third six-year term. Despite her exclusion, she rallied support for Edmundo González, the opposition candidate who replaced her on the ballot.
Maduro was declared the winner, even though polling station results showed González had won by a significant margin.
At a press conference at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo on Friday, Nobel chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Machado was recognized for “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
He described her as a “key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided in a brutal authoritarian state now facing a humanitarian and economic crisis.”
“Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions,” Frydnes added.
In response to the award, Machado expressed surprise and humility, calling it “the achievement of a whole society” and saying, “I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this.”
Edmundo González described the prize as “well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy.”
Frydnes also criticized Venezuela’s leadership, warning of authoritarian trends emerging globally. “[The] rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed toward authoritarian rule and militarisation,” he said.
The committee noted that 338 candidates were nominated this year, although the names will remain sealed for 50 years, as is tradition.
US President Donald Trump, who had publicly expressed his desire for the award, was among those who did not receive it. White House communications director Steven Cheung criticized the decision, stating that the “Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”
The Nobel Prize, awarded in six categories, honors individuals or organizations contributing “the greatest benefit to humankind.” Frydnes said Machado “met all the criteria” and “embodies hope for the future.”
