Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s leading opposition figure, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 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.”
The Norwegian Nobel Committee described her as “a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness” and praised her as one of Latin America’s most extraordinary examples of courage.
Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydness said Machado “meets all the criteria laid out by Alfred Nobel” and added that she “embodies hope of a future where citizens’ rights are protected.”
Maria Corina Machado reacts to Nobel Prize
Machado, 58, has been in hiding since August 2024 following Venezuela’s disputed presidential elections, per BBC. Despite threats to her safety, she has refused to leave the country. The committee acknowledged the risks she faces and said awarding her the prize was intended to “support her cause, not limit it”.
After the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, her team shared a video in which Machado is visibly emotional, saying she is shocked. “I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this,” she said, adding that she thinks it will take a while for her to believe the news. She also expressed gratitude for the “honor.”
A life devoted to Venezuela
{{/usCountry}}After the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, her team shared a video in which Machado is visibly emotional, saying she is shocked. “I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this,” she said, adding that she thinks it will take a while for her to believe the news. She also expressed gratitude for the “honor.”
A life devoted to Venezuela
{{/usCountry}}Born in 1967 in Caracas, Machado studied industrial engineering at Universidad Catolica Andres Bello and later pursued finance at IESA. She began her career in business but soon changed tracks and forayed into activism, Elle reported.
According to her biography on the Nobel Organization, Machado founded Atenea Foundation in 1992 and the organization supported street children in Caracas. A decade later, she co-founded Sumate, a civil organization which advocated for free and fair elections.
Machado, who was elected to the National Assembly in 2010 with record votes, was expelled from office in 2014 for opposing the government. She currently leads the Vente Venezuela party and helped form the Soy Venezuela alliance in 2017 to unify pro-democracy forces.
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Maria Corina Machado’s family
Machado is divorced and has three children: Ana Corina, Ricardo, and Henrique. Her former husband, Ricardo Sosa Branger, left Venezuela due to political persecution, and her children, except Ana, too, live abroad for safety. Ana Corina has remained by her side in hiding.
In an interview with Elle, Machado opened up about her struggle of balancing motherhood with activism after denouncing corruption in the National Assembly. She advised her daughter to leave fearing for her family’s safety. However, despite personal sacrifices, Machado continues to lead the opposition’s fight for democracy which earned her the moniker: Iron Lady of Venezuela.
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FAQs:
Q1. Who is María Corina Machado?
She is a Venezuelan opposition leader, engineer, and pro-democracy activist who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Q2. Why was she awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?
Machado was honored for her efforts to promote democratic rights and advocate for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela.
Q3. Where is María Corina Machado now?
She has been in hiding in Venezuela since August 2024 due to threats from Nicolás Maduro’s government.