The Norwegian committee decided to award this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado from Venezuela.
As announced, Machado was chosen for her tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and for her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Over the past year, Machado was forced to live in hiding, but despite serious threats to her life, she remained in the country — a choice that has inspired millions of people.

“When authoritarians seize power, it is vital to recognize the courageous defenders of freedom who rise up and resist. Democracy depends on people who refuse to remain silent, who dare to stand up despite grave danger, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted but must always be defended — with words, courage, and determination,” the Norwegian committee stated in announcing this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

As the leader of the democratic movement in Venezuela, María Corina Machado is one of the most outstanding examples of political courage in Latin America in recent years. She has become a unifying figure for an opposition that was once deeply divided — an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.

“This is precisely at the heart of democracy: our shared will to defend the principles of popular sovereignty, even when we disagree. In an era when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground.”

When asked why Donald Trump was not chosen despite campaigns in his favor, the Norwegian committee’s spokesperson replied: “In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, the committee has seen many such campaigns. We receive thousands of letters nominating candidates. The committee meets in a room filled with portraits of all past laureates and is inspired by courage and integrity. We rely solely on Alfred Nobel’s will and the work for which the prize is intended in making our decision.”