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Maria Corina MachadoA man who has become a symbol of resistance against growing authoritarianism in Venezuela has been honored Nobel Peace Prize,
Opposition leader forced into hiding and banned from running for office by the President’s administration Nicolas MaduroBut his fearless campaigns and rock-star appeal have made him an incredibly popular politician in his own country – and induced to beat him us President donald trump In win this year’s honor,
When his victory was announced in OctoberThe activist was praised for being “a prominent, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided – an opposition that found common ground in demanding free elections and representative government”.
Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman Jørgen Wattne Friednes said: “Over the past year, Miss Machado was forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she remains in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is important to recognize the courageous defenders of freedom who rise up and resist.”
Machado’s aide, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a video of him speaking on the phone after the news broke. “I’m in shock,” Machado said. “I can not believe it.”
The awards ceremony was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 10, but at the last minute it was announced that Machado would not attend.
What is Machado’s background?
Machado, 58, was born on October 7, 1967 in Caracas. His father was a prominent businessman in the Venezuelan steel industry, drawing criticism from the country’s ruling Socialist Party due to his upper-class roots.
Now a mother of three, Machado is an industrial engineer by training, having studied engineering at university before gaining a master’s degree in finance, and a short career in business.
In 1992, he also started the Atenea Foundation, a foundation for orphans living on the streets of Caracas.
But he co-founded the vote-monitoring organization Sumate in 2002, which aims to promote free and fair elections, marking his official entry into politics.
banned from public office
In 2010, Machado won a record number of votes to be elected to the National Assembly, where he served from 2011 until the regime expelled him from office in 2014.
She later became the national coordinator of the liberal political party Vente Venezuela, which she co-founded in 2012 and currently leads. Five years later, he helped establish the Soy Venezuela Coalition, which aimed to bring together pro-democracy forces across political divides.
Machado won a landslide victory in the opposition primary in 2023 and drew large crowds at his rallies. However, restrictions on holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in the 2024 elections and she went into hiding. He was replaced by Mr. Gonzalez, who had never run for office before.
The election saw widespread repression, including disqualification, arrests, and human rights violations, with Maduro’s government regularly targeting its real or perceived opponents.
The crackdown on dissent escalated when the country’s National Electoral Council, which is packed with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.
Protests broke out across the country following the election results, which were responded to forcefully by the government and ended with the deaths of more than 20 people. He also led to the termination of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.
Machado emerged from hiding in January for a brief appearance during a protest ahead of the inauguration of Maduro – whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis. He was arrested for some time and then released.
20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Gonzalez – who has been granted asylum in Spain after a Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant – celebrated Machado’s Nobel win in a post on X/Twitter, calling it “very well-deserved recognition of the long fight of a woman and an entire people for our freedom and democracy.”
Last year, Machado and Gonzalez were awarded the European Union’s top human rights honor, The Sakharov Prize.
Machado now becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, out of 112 individuals who have been awarded.
She advocates liberal economic reforms, including the privatization of state-owned enterprises such as Venezuelan oil company PDVSA. She also supports the creation of welfare programs aimed at assisting the country’s poorest citizens.
Her political activism has come at a cost, leaving her isolated as almost all of her senior advisers have been detained or forced to leave the country. Machado himself has accused Maduro’s administration of operating as a “criminal mafia”.
Although sometimes criticized by his own mother for being arrogant, Machado rarely speaks about himself publicly. Instead, she presents her campaign as a collective struggle for liberation and unity, aimed at inspiring hope among Venezuelans tired of economic hardship and social decline.
What happened to Machado who attended the ceremony?
Machado was to receive the award after defying a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in his home country and living in hiding for more than a year.
Last seen in public 11 months earlier, she was scheduled to host a traditional news conference by award winners the day before the formal awards ceremony.
But the lunch event was delayed without explanation, until the Norwegian Nobel Institute said three hours after the scheduled time that “it will not take place today.”
On the day of the ceremony, organizers confirmed that she would not be attending and that her daughter would accept the award in her place.
“Unfortunately she is not in Norway and will not be standing on the stage at Oslo City Hall at 1 p.m. when the ceremony begins,” Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the institute and permanent secretary of the awards body, told broadcaster NRK.
Asked where she was, Harpviken said: “I don’t know.”
Last month, Venezuela’s attorney general said Machado would be considered a fugitive if she went to Norway to accept the award.