The Norwegian Nobel Committee today announced Maria Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The award was given in recognition of his tireless efforts in promoting democratic rights for the Venezuelan people and fighting to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Machado, a 58-year-old engineer and founder of the election monitoring NGO Súmate, is seen as a symbol of civic courage in Latin America.
He entered the Venezuelan National Assembly in 2010 with a record number of national votes, but was removed from office by Nicolas Maduro in 2014.
Nobel Committee Chairman Jürgen Watane Friedens described Machado as a “courageous and committed peace hero” who has kept the flame of democracy alive against the growing darkness.
He emphasized that MACAD has united Venezuela’s scattered opposition and has never surrendered to the militarization of society.
