OSLO, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Colina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote democratic rights and achieve a transition to democracy in her country, Norway’s Nobel Committee said on Friday.
Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer who lives in hiding, was blocked by a Venezuelan court in 2024 from running for president, preventing him from challenging President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.
“When authoritarians seize power, it is critical to recognize the courageous defenders of freedom who stand up and resist,” the magazine said in a quote.
In the lead up to this year’s award, President Donald Trump repeatedly said publicly that he was worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The commission made the final decision ahead of Wednesday’s announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement under the first phase of President Trump’s initiative to end the war in Gaza.
Prior to the Nobel Prize announcement, Nobel experts also said it was highly unlikely that Trump would win the prize, as his policies were seen as dismantling the international world order cherished by the Nobel committee.
The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or about $1.2 million, will be awarded in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish businessman Alfred Nobel, who founded the prize in his 1895 will.
