María Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025.

The award was announced this morning at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway.

Nobel Committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes told press that Machado was chosen "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

Frydnes described Machado as "one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times" and "a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided."

"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," Frydnes said.

"Democracy depends on people, who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended with words, with courage, and with determination.

"As she said, it was a choice of ballots over bullets. In political office and in her service to organisations since then, Ms Machado has spoken out for judicial independence, human rights, and popular representation. She has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people."

Frydnes said Machado "meets all the criteria stated in Alfred Nobel's will" for the selection of a winner. According to the Nobel Peace Prize website, Nobel's will stipulates the prize should be awarded to a person who has "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

"She has brought her country's opposition together, she has never wavered in resisting the militarisation of Venezuelan society, she's been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy," Frydnes said.

"Maria Kurina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace."

Machado, an industrial engineer and politician, has been one of the strongest voices standing up to authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro has been condemned for his part in election-rigging, widespread censorship, countless human rights abuses and rampant corruption.

Machado was barred from running in last year's presidential election in what was largely considered unfair rigging of the democratic process. Instead, she helped campaign for opposition candidate Edmundo González. When Maduro allegedly beat González in what was decried as unfair election results, González was exiled and granted asylum in Spain.

Machado has been in hiding since the previous election, aside from a brief appearance at a protest ahead of Maduro's inauguration in January. She was briefly arrested and then freed, and has made few public appearences since.

González shared a video on X of him congratulating Machado over the phone. Machado is heard tearfully celebrating.

"A well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy," said González in the caption.

"Venezuela's first Nobel! Congratulations María Corina Machado, Venezuela will be free!"

¡Nuestra querida Maria Corina Machado, galardonada con el Premio Nobel de la Paz 2025! Merecidísimo reconocimiento a la larga lucha de una mujer y de todo un pueblo por nuestra libertad y democracia. ¡La primer Nobel de Venezuela! ¡Enhorabuena @mariacorinaya, Venezuela será… pic.twitter.com/jpmrUEujtL

— Edmundo González (@EdmundoGU) October 10, 2025

The Nobel Committee later released a video of the moment they informed Machado of her win, shortly before the official ceremony.

Norwegian Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpviken is pictured emotionally sharing the news with Machado on a phone call, to which she replied, "Oh my God. I have no words."

Machado thanked the committee, saying the prize is the "achievement of a whole society" and "I am just one person, I certainly do not deserve this."

“Oh my god… I have no words.”

Listen to the emotional moment this year’s laureate Maria Corina Machado finds out she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, shared the news with her directly before it was… pic.twitter.com/OCUpNz752k

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

Each Nobel prize winner receives a medal, a personal diploma and 11 million Swedish kronor (about €997,700).

There were 338 candidates nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, of which 244 were individuals and 94 were organisations.

Among the other nominees were UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese (who was nominated by Irish MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin), along with Pope Francis, US President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk, Palestinian scientist Mazin Qumisyeh, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya.

Nominated organisations include the children of Gaza, Doctors Without Borders, the International Criminal Court and Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms.

The committee has faced pressure from Trump, who has claimed he deserves the Prize numerous times throughout his presidency.

At the announcement ceremony, Frydnes was asked if that pressure impacted the work of the committee in their selection.

Frydnes said that "in the long history" of the Prize, the committee has been confronted with "media tension" and campaigns. He emphasised, "We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel."

After the announcement, White House communications director Steven Cheung said the committee "proved they place politics over peace" in a post on X.

"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives," Cheung said.

"He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will."

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.

He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.

The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE

— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 10, 2025