Maria Corina Machado, Iron Lady of Venezuela, wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, dashing Donald Trump’s hopes
PTC Web Desk: In a major announcement on Friday, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, defeating the ambitions of US President Donald Trump, who had openly campaigned for the honour.
Machado, widely known as Venezuela’s “Iron Lady” for her fearless fight for democracy and human rights, was recognised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
The 58-year-old politician, currently in hiding after last year’s controversial presidential elections, widely condemned as rigged by President Nicolas Maduro, has long been a central figure in Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement. Despite arrests, travel bans, and threats, Machado has continued her resistance from within the country, earning international acclaim. Earlier this year, she was also featured in Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of 2025.”
Machado leads Vente Venezuela, a liberal political party she co-founded in 2013, and earlier served as a member of the National Assembly (2010–2015). In the 2024 presidential election, she was barred from running, even as the opposition claimed victory before Maduro declared himself the winner, sparking mass protests and forcing her into hiding.
Following the announcement, Nobel Committee Chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes described Machado as a “brave and committed champion of peace who keeps the flame of democracy burning during a growing darkness.”
The win came as a disappointment for Trump, who had launched a public campaign for the prize, claiming credit for resolving “eight wars.” However, the committee dismissed any political lobbying, noting that nominations closed on January 31, 2025, shortly after Trump began his second term.
Despite missing out, Trump remains eligible for future nominations. His current nomination came from New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who cited his role in the Abraham Accords, which normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
Interestingly, Machado had earlier expressed gratitude to Trump for his administration’s firm stance against the Maduro regime, after the US doubled the bounty on Maduro’s capture to $50 million.
“We, Venezuelans, thank President Trump and his administration for their firm and decisive action to dismantle the criminal structure holding onto power in our country,” she had tweeted in August.
While Trump’s bid fell short this year, the Nobel Committee’s decision has firmly placed Maria Corina Machado among the global icons of peace and democracy.
- With inputs from agencies
