DLNews Nobel Peace Prize:

Maria’s Moment: Venezuela’s Brave Voice Wins the Nobel Peace Prize

She faced bullets, bans, and betrayal — but never gave up. María Corina Machado, the fearless Venezuelan opposition leader long branded an enemy of the state by both Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, has achieved what once seemed impossible. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded her the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her “tireless efforts to promote democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

It is a stunning moment of recognition for a woman who spent years under house arrest, endured constant threats, and still refused to abandon her homeland or her hope. “Democracy needs people who stand up and resist,” said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Nobel Committee, during the announcement in Oslo.

Machado, born into an industrialist family in Caracas, became one of Latin America’s most courageous advocates for freedom and the rule of law. Though repeatedly silenced by Venezuela’s ruling party, she continued to inspire citizens and international allies alike through her steadfast call for nonviolent change.

In 2024, she was selected as the opposition’s presidential candidate but was disqualified by the pro-Maduro National Electoral Council. Her replacement, Edmundo González Urrutia, went on to win the popular vote according to international observers — though Maduro remains in power. Despite that, Machado’s influence only grew. In December of that same year, she and González received the European Parliament’s Sakharov Human Rights Prize, followed by the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, cementing her reputation as a global symbol of moral courage.

The Nobel Peace Prize, valued at just under one million euros, will be formally presented on December 10 in Oslo. For Machado, it is not merely a personal triumph but a celebration for millions of Venezuelans yearning for liberty.

In a world often weary of political cynicism, her story shines as proof that conviction can outlast oppression. As one admirer in Caracas put it after hearing the news: “She didn’t just win the Nobel Prize — she won our faith back.”