European leaders have joined Venezuela’s opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, in celebrating her new honor. On Friday, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X that Machado’s receipt of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize shows her courage and that the world is listening to voices that refuse to be silenced.
Von der Leyen said the award sends a clear message to authoritarian regimes: freedom can’t be locked away and the desire for democracy will keep rising. “The fight continues,” she wrote, highlighting the broader struggle for liberty across the globe.
Machado, 58, stood amid intense media coverage the same day and described the prize as “humbling” and “a recognition of the Venezuelan people’s fight for democracy and peace.” She spoke with Reuters and the Norwegian Nobel Institute, saying she was still processing the news but felt grateful to be part of a larger movement. “I am honored—not only by this recognition, but by the place this puts us in Venezuela today,” she said.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee confirmed the award during a press briefing. They praised Machado as “a brave, committed champion of peace,” noting her ongoing activism despite threats from President Nicolás Maduro’s government, which has ruled since 2013. “We want to send a message to all authoritarian leaders: choose ballots, not bullets,” said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the committee.
Born in Caracas in 1967, Machado studied industrial engineering and earned a master’s degree in finance. She first entered politics in 2002, co‑founding the volunteer group Sumate. In 2010, she topped the polls to win a seat in the National Assembly—but the Maduro regime removed her from office in 2014.
She now heads the Vente Venezuela opposition party and helped create the Soy Venezuela alliance in 2017, which brought together pro‑democracy forces across party lines. In 2023, Machado announced a presidential run for the 2024 election. Blocked from participating, she backed opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. The opposition documented widespread fraud and claimed victory, while Maduro’s government asserted a win and tightened its grip on power.
When asked about the wider impact of her prize, Machado said the award gives hope to many who face brutal repression. “Even though we face the most violent attacks right now, society keeps pressing on through peaceful action,” she told reporters. She believes the world will finally grasp how urgent it is to secure freedom for Venezuela and Latin America.
From her hidden residence, Machado acknowledged the danger she faces and the difficulty of traveling. “If I can travel to Norway for the ceremony in Oslo on December 10, it would be a great honor,” she said. “The award belongs to all Venezuelans who risk everything for freedom, justice, and peace.”
The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony will take place on December 10 in Oslo, Norway. The award highlights the ongoing struggle for democracy in Venezuela and signals international support for the country’s people.
Source: aninews
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