Trump misses out as Venezuela’s María Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize 2025
Nobel Committee highlights courage in face of authoritarian rule
DUBAI – Opposition leader María Corina Machado of Venezuela has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, recognised for her unwavering fight to restore democracy in her home country. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised her as “a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided,” crediting her leadership for bringing together disparate factions to demand free elections and representative government.
Machado’s win marks a significant moment in Venezuela’s long struggle against authoritarian rule. A former presidential candidate, she was barred from running in last year’s election after authorities disqualified her and several other opponents of President Nicolás Maduro. The disputed election sparked widespread protests and international criticism, with Machado forced into hiding amid escalating threats to her life.
Despite those dangers, she chose to remain in Venezuela – a decision that the committee described as both “courageous and inspiring.” In its announcement, the Nobel body highlighted her steadfastness in promoting democratic rights and her ongoing efforts to achieve a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. She becomes the first Venezuelan laureate in the history of the Nobel Prize.
Opposition voice
Machado’s rise has been shaped by years of opposition politics in one of Latin America’s most turbulent nations. Once an industrial engineer and businesswoman, she emerged as a leading advocate for civil liberties and political reform. Her party, Vente Venezuela, has consistently called for free elections, transparency, and the release of political prisoners.
Even after being disqualified and facing multiple arrest warrants, Machado continued to rally supporters and coordinate the opposition movement from underground. Her persistence turned her into a symbol of resilience for millions of Venezuelans who see her as the face of their democratic struggle.
Nobel recognition
The Nobel Committee’s citation noted that Machado’s bravery under repression represents “the spirit of peaceful resistance” and the pursuit of democratic values in the face of tyranny. Her story stands in stark contrast to the political climate in Venezuela, where opposition voices have long been silenced and international observers have raised concerns over human rights abuses.
Last year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese movement of atomic bombing survivors who advocate for nuclear disarmament. The committee traditionally focuses on long-term contributions to peace, democracy, and human rights rather than on recent political negotiations or short-lived ceasefires.
Trump’s peace push
In the lead-up to the announcement, speculation swirled around US President Donald Trump, who was widely believed to be a contender for the award. Trump had recently overseen the approval of a ceasefire plan for Gaza, touting it as a “historic breakthrough” and asserting that his administration deserved recognition for promoting global stability.
The American leader has been nominated several times in the past for his role in the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020, and for his earlier diplomacy with North Korea in 2018 and 2019. His mediations were seen by some as efforts to reduce regional tensions, though critics argued that many agreements remained fragile or incomplete.
However, Trump’s hopes of winning this year’s Nobel Peace Prize were unlikely from the outset. The official nomination deadline passed on 31 January – shortly after his second inauguration – meaning his recent Middle East initiative would not have qualified for consideration until next year’s round.
Nobel Peace Prize
This year, a total of 338 candidates were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, appointed by parliament, meets in Oslo to decide the recipient, and its deliberations remain confidential.
Machado will receive her gold medal, diploma, and a cash award of about $1.2 million (roughly Dh4.4 million) at the ceremony in Oslo on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. She is expected to attend in person, where Norway’s King Harald V will present the award.
Her win places Venezuela once again at the centre of international attention – this time, not for its political unrest, but for the courage of one woman whose call for freedom has resonated far beyond her country’s borders.