Not Trump, but Machado Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Feature Desk

Maria Corina Machado has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, for her tireless efforts to establish democratic rights for the Venezuelan people.

The award was announced in Oslo, Norway, on Friday, October 10, Bangladesh time.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Machado had fought for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

The international media has been buzzing over the past few days about whether US President Donald Trump will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. However, Machado ended all speculation and won the Nobel.

Who is Maria Corina Machado?

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that Venezuelan politician and human rights activist Maria Corina Machado has long been working in the country’s persistent movement for democracy against the country’s long political instability and dictatorship. Her courageous leadership has given a new dimension to the struggle for fundamental rights and freedom of the Venezuelan people.

María Corina Machado was born on October 7, 1967, in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. After graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Andrés Bello Catholic University, she pursued higher studies in Management and Economics. From a young age, she began to be active in the cause of civil rights and democratic reform.

In 2002, Machado founded the election monitoring organization “Sumate”, which works to ensure the transparency of the Venezuelan electoral process. He later founded the political party “Vente Venezuela” and served as its national coordinator. His outspoken stance in favor of democracy, good governance, and civil rights made him popular throughout the country.

He served as a member of the National Assembly from 2011 to 2014. During this time, he was vocal against the government’s repressive policies and corruption. He was one of the leaders of the anti-government movement in 2014, which brought him to the center of opposition politics.

Machado’s outspokenness and uncompromising stance often earned him the ire of the government. He was nominated as the opposition coalition’s candidate in the upcoming presidential election in 2024, but the government declared him ineligible to hold public office for 15 years.

The government’s repression intensified before and after the election. Arrests and violence against opposition activists increased. Protests spread to many cities, killing at least 20 people. In such a situation, Machado went into hiding, but through various statements he called on the people to continue the peaceful movement.

According to the Nobel Committee, María Corina Machado has become a symbol of courage and determination at a time when the Venezuelan people live in fear, oppression and uncertainty. Her efforts to achieve peaceful change and her unwavering belief in democratic values ​​have earned her this international recognition.

Earlier in 2024, the European Parliament awarded him the Sarkhov Prize. In February 2025, he received the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage from the Georgia Institute in the United States. In the same year, Time magazine included him in the list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Machado’s achievement will serve as an inspiration not only for Venezuela, but for pro-democracy and human rights activists around the world. His struggle proves that peaceful resistance for justice and freedom can one day bring the world’s most prestigious recognition.