The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday that Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless efforts in promoting democratic rights in Venezuela. The announcement was made in Oslo, marking the highlight of Nobel Week. This year, the prize drew a total of 338 nominations, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations.
Taking to X, the Nobel Prize Committee confirmed the announcement, "The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."
Maria Corina Machado: Education And Early Career Journey
María Corina Machado, born on October 7, 1967, is a Venezuelan engineer and politician known for standing up for democracy in her country. She started the vote-monitoring group Súmate in 2002 and later became the national coordinator of the political party Vente Venezuela. From 2011 to 2014, she served as a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, where she worked for transparency, freedom, and the rights of the people.
Machado holds a degree in industrial engineering from Andrés Bello Catholic University and a master’s in finance from IESA Business School in Caracas. She also participated in Yale University’s World Fellows Program in 2009. In 1992, she founded Fundación Atenea, providing support to orphaned and delinquent children in Caracas, and later chaired the Opportunitas Foundation, emphasising social development and empowerment.
Before entering politics, Machado worked in Venezuela’s auto industry in Valencia and later moved to Caracas in 1993. She resigned from Fundación Atenea to prevent the organisation from being politicised, reflecting her commitment to ethical leadership. Her decades-long advocacy for democracy and social justice has now earned her the world’s most prestigious recognition in peace efforts.
