María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition figure and industrial engineer, has been honored with the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering efforts to uphold democracy in her nation. The Norwegian Nobel Committee commended her for advocating for democratic rights in Venezuela and striving for a fair and peaceful transition from autocracy to democracy.
Born in Caracas in 1967, Machado pursued industrial engineering studies at Andrés Bello Catholic University before venturing into politics. In 2002, she co-established Súmate, a grassroots organization dedicated to defending political freedoms and overseeing electoral processes. Súmate became a thorn in the side of Venezuela’s ruling elite by documenting electoral anomalies and pushing for transparency. That same year, Machado faced charges of treason for endorsing the Carmona Decree, a move aimed at temporarily removing then-President Hugo Chávez from office.
Recent years have seen a further decline in conditions in Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro, moving Machado to challenge the lingering influence of “Chavismo” – the political legacy of Chávez. Despite being disqualified by the Supreme Court from running in the January 2024 elections, Machado supported Edmundo González Urrutia as the primary opposition candidate. Maduro claimed a contentious victory for a third term amidst widespread accusations of electoral fraud, including ballot manipulation, voter coercion, and other violations noted by international monitors.
Machado was lauded by the Nobel Committee for her role in ensuring that opposition factions recorded vote counts before official interference could disrupt the process. Her capacity to rally large crowds in Caracas and beyond positioned her as a unifying force within Venezuela’s fractured opposition, sparking concern within the government.
Post-election unrest erupted across Venezuela but was swiftly quelled by security forces. Machado went into hiding, briefly resurfacing during protests leading up to Maduro’s inauguration in January 2025. She was briefly detained and subsequently released, highlighting the personal risks associated with her activism.
Machado has garnered numerous international accolades. In 2024, she received both the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, solidifying her role as a prominent advocate for democracy in Latin America. Additionally, she was named among Time magazine’s “The 100 Most Influential People of 2025,” with a profile penned by US Senator Marco Rubio, who likened her to “the Venezuelan Iron Lady.”
In a daring move, Machado narrowly evaded arrest following a public address at a rally in Chacao, Caracas, marking her first public appearance in three months in January 2025. Despite her continued concealment, she remains committed to advancing democracy in Venezuela.