Venezuelan political leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her significant contribution to promoting the democratic rights of Venezuelan citizens.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Recognition of the Fight for Democracy
Maria Corina Machado, a leader of the opposition and founder and former president of the civic organization Sumate, received the prestigious award for her active efforts aimed at achieving a fair and peaceful transition for Venezuela from dictatorship to democracy. The Nobel Committee noted that her efforts serve as a shining example of courage for all of Latin America in recent years.
The award was given to “a woman who keeps the flame of democracy alive amidst the rising darkness.”
The committee’s statement emphasized that Machado has become a symbol of unwavering struggle for freedom and human rights, despite the challenging political situation in Venezuela.
Record Number of Nominees and Competition
This year, 338 candidates were nominated for the Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organizations. Among the contenders for the award were leading international organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and the Sudanese initiative Emergency Response Rooms.
Among the individual candidates were Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung, who is currently imprisoned for participating in democratic protests, and Canadian human rights advocate Irwin Cotler, known for his long-standing work in defending human rights and combating anti-Semitism. Additionally, potential nominees included the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the International Criminal Court.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, citing the cessation of several armed conflicts during his time in office at the White House. In his view, not awarding him this honor would be an “insult” to the United States. Trump also noted that he envies former U.S. President Barack Obama, who received the prize in 2009, and sarcastically remarked that Obama was honored merely “for winning an election.”