Maria Corina Machado (58), who has led the democratization movement against the Venezuelan dictatorship for over two decades, was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize on the 10th (local time). The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited her "tireless efforts to promote the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy" as the reason for the selection.
In Venezuela, where democracy was in crisis as the regimes of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro successively held power for extended periods, Machado became a symbol of the anti-dictatorship struggle as an opposition leader and political activist. From the family that managed the large steel company Sivensa, Machado has been called the "Iron Lady" by Western media, a title comparable to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, due to her conservative political leanings and steely resolve. The New York Times (NYT) reported that she is gaining widespread popular support within Venezuela.
However, this popularity led to strong checks and suppression from the dictatorial regime. Machado, who entered the National Assembly in 2010 with the highest number of votes, was expelled from her parliamentary seat in 2014 in a move led by the ruling party. Furthermore, in 2023, after she announced her candidacy for the following year's presidential election, she faced repression when a pro-government judiciary decision restricted her right to run for office for 15 years.
Undaunted, Machado continued the fight by putting forward a center-right candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia. While the Maduro regime's victory was announced in the 2024 presidential election, a fair election monitoring group led by Machado presented copies of the vote count, claiming that candidate González had won by a landslide with over 70% of the votes and raising suspicions of election fraud.
Machado's isolation has currently deepened. Her key aides have either been detained or have fled the country, and presidential candidate González has also sought asylum in Spain. As the Maduro regime continues to repress her by accusing her of leading a "criminal organization," Machado has suspended public activities and is in hiding somewhere in Venezuela. The Nobel Committee confirmed that she is currently residing within Venezuela.
Previously, the American news magazine Time selected Machado as one of the "100 Most Influential People of 2025," evaluating her as "the embodiment of perseverance and patriotism." Upon hearing the news of the Nobel Prize, Machado reaffirmed her strong resolve in a call with the Nobel Committee, stating, "We will be victorious," and defined the international community's recognition of the struggle against the dictatorship as a victory for the Venezuelan people.
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