Maria Corina Machado Awarded 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Oslo [Norway], Oct 10: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday.

Hailing Machado as a “brave and committed champion of peace,” the Committee said the award recognises her role in “keeping the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”

“Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace,” the Committee noted, warning that the world is witnessing a dangerous retreat of democratic values as authoritarian regimes tighten control and suppress dissent.

The Nobel Committee praised Machado for uniting Venezuela’s opposition, resisting the militarisation of society, and steadfastly advocating for non-violent democratic reform. “She has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace,” it said, adding that Machado’s leadership embodies “hope for a future where citizens’ fundamental rights are protected and their voices are heard.”

Her recognition places her among global icons of peace and democracy, following in the footsteps of past laureates such as Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Earlier this week, the Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, and Literature were announced, with the Economics Prize set to be revealed on Monday.