María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition politician, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless efforts to restore democracy in the South American country. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised her as 'one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times' for keeping 'the flame of democracy burning' under a brutal authoritarian regime.
Machado, 58, has been living in hiding since the July 2024 presidential election, which the opposition widely believes was won by her ally Edmundo González. President Nicolás Maduro refused to accept defeat, launching a crackdown that forced González into exile and Machado underground. Despite this, she remains defiant, stating earlier that Maduro's departure is 'irreversible'.
The Nobel committee highlighted the opposition's innovative and peaceful push for change during the election, when volunteers mobilised to observe and collect tallies showing González's victory. It noted that Venezuela has sunk into dictatorship since Maduro took power in 2013, with nearly 8 million people fleeing the country due to poverty and state violence.
In a video shared by González, Machado reacted with disbelief to the news. 'I can't believe it! My God!' she exclaimed. The Nobel Institute also released footage of director Kristian Berg Harpviken waking her with the announcement. 'I have no words… I am just one person, I certainly don't deserve this,' she said.
Writing on X, Machado dedicated the prize to 'the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!' She called the award 'an impetus to conclude our task: to conquer freedom' and expressed confidence in achieving victory with the help of democratic allies.
