The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, recognizing 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.”
Machado, 58, becomes the first Venezuelan to receive the prestigious honor, which includes a gold medal, diploma, and a monetary award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.2 million). The prize will be formally presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
The Nobel Committee emphasized Machado’s role as a “key, unifying figure” in Venezuela’s fractured opposition and praised her for remaining in the country despite serious threats. “When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,” said Committee Chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who had publicly lobbied for the prize citing his role in brokering ceasefires in Gaza and other regions, was not selected. Experts noted that the committee’s decision was finalized before the announcement of Trump’s peace initiative in Gaza, and that his “America First” policies conflicted with the Nobel’s ideals.