OSLO: Venezuelan opposition leader and democracy activist María Corina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her persistent struggle to restore democracy and uphold human rights in Venezuela.
Jørgen Watne Frydnes, who chairs of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Committee recognized her courageous efforts against authoritarian rule, highlighting her commitment to peaceful political reform and democratic values despite facing severe repression and personal risk.
Last year, the European Union awarded its top human rights prize to Maria Corina Machado along with another Venezuelan opposition politician, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
The European Parliament said the winners of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought were “representing the people of Venezuela fighting to restore freedom and democracy”.
Profile
Born 7 October 1967, Maria Corina is a Venezuelan politician and industrial engineer who is currently opposition leader in Venezuela.
She served as an elected member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014. She was not awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Machado entered politics in 2002 as the founder and leader of the vote-monitoring group Súmate.
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She is the National Coordinator of political party, Vente Venezuela. In 2018, she was listed as one of BBC’s 100 Women.
In 2025, Time magazine listed her as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.
Machado is regarded as a leading figure of the Venezuelan opposition; the Nicolás Maduro government in Venezuela has banned Machado from leaving Venezuela.
María Corina Machado is anti-chavismo and has disagreed with other sections of the Venezuelan opposition.
In 2011, she campaigned as a promotor of “popular capitalism”.
María Corina Machado supports the privatization of state-run entities in Venezuela, including oil company PDVSA. Machado has supported the international sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis, and has advocated for foreign intervention to remove Maduro on humanitarian grounds.
In 2023, she ran as a candidate in the opposition presidential primaries.
The Maduro administration subsequently barred her from running. She subsequently became the main driving force for the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González, who was allowed to compete by the Maduro regime.
