The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Venezuela's Maria Corina 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.
Who is María Corina Machado?
Early life and training: María Corina Machado Parisca was born on 7 October 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela.
Education & career start: She studied industrial engineering, and became active in civic and political work.
Political trajectory: She co-founded Súmate, a voter-monitoring and civic organization, early in her political involvement.
She was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly, serving from 2011 to 2014, until her seat was stripped in a move widely viewed as politically motivated.
Over the years, she has become a key figure in Venezuela’s opposition to the increasingly authoritarian government, championing democratic reforms, accountability, free elections, and human rights.
Nobel Peace Prize 2025: Why it was awarded
On 10 October 2025, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to María Corina Machado.
The official reason given:
“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.”
Key points emphasized by the Committee and observers:
Machado has acted as a unifying figure within a fragmented opposition, bringing together different factions in Venezuela around the call for free and fair elections.
Her leadership has taken place under severe pressure: she has been barred from running for public office by state authorities, faced legal and political harassment, and has had to go into hiding for safety reasons.
The Committee described Venezuela’s transformation into a repressive state, the mass exodus of millions of its citizens, and the systematic suppression of opposition as the backdrop against which her courage stands out.
Thus, the Prize is as much a recognition of her individual courage and persistence as a symbolic show of support for democratic rights in situations of repression.
