Who Is Maria Corina Machado — The Venezuelan Activist Who Won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize Over Donald Trump?

Oslo, October 10, 2025: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been named the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering fight to defend democratic rights and her persistent efforts toward a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule to democracy in Venezuela, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday.

The announcement came in a year when former U.S. President Donald Trump had once again drawn attention for his public comments about deserving the Peace Prize. Despite multiple nominations in recent years, the award did not go to him, as the committee instead recognized Machado for her enduring democratic struggle in a volatile political landscape.

Who Is Maria Corina Machado?
Born in 1967, Machado is an industrial engineer and a prominent figure in Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement. She co-founded the non-governmental organization Súmate, which promotes electoral transparency, and later helped establish the liberal political party Vente Venezuela.

Machado was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly in 2011, where she quickly became one of the most outspoken critics of then-President Nicolás Maduro. Her political activism has come at a high personal cost — she has faced bans from holding office, multiple legal charges, and government persecution, yet she continues to advocate for democratic reforms and human rights in Venezuela.

Even after being barred from participating in the 2024 presidential election, Machado supported opposition candidate Edmundo González and helped monitor voting irregularities, further strengthening her reputation as a determined advocate for democracy.

Why the Nobel Committee Chose Machado
In its statement, the Nobel Committee praised Machado for keeping “the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.” The committee emphasized that her peaceful resistance, commitment to the rule of law, and leadership in uniting Venezuela’s divided opposition reflect the very principles of peace and democracy envisioned by Alfred Nobel.

According to the committee, Machado “has never wavered in resisting the militarization of Venezuelan society” and continues to champion a non-violent path to freedom. Her efforts, it noted, “show that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace.”

Trump’s Pursuit of the Nobel
Former President Donald Trump has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize, primarily for his foreign policy initiatives and peace agreements during his term. He has often argued publicly that he deserved the award, calling it “politically rigged” after not being selected in previous years.

However, Nobel observers pointed out that the committee prioritizes long-term humanitarian and democratic work over political or diplomatic actions tied to specific administrations. Machado’s decades-long activism and moral courage in the face of repression stood out as the decisive factors behind her selection this year.

A Historic Recognition
With this win, Maria Corina Machado joins the ranks of global peace icons celebrated for defending democracy through peaceful means. Her victory highlights the power of civic courage and democratic perseverance — and marks a year when, despite renewed global attention on Donald Trump’s ambitions, the Nobel Peace Prize honored a woman leading a grassroots struggle for freedom.