And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to… María Corina Machado

On Friday, the prestigious 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuela’s María Corina Machado, recognised for her unwavering commitment to democracy, while US President Donald Trump, who had been vying for the honour, was not selected. Machado received the award for being “a courageous and dedicated advocate for peace” and for sustaining “the light of democracy in the face of increasing darkness.”

She received the award “for her relentless efforts in advocating for democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her commitment to achieving a fair and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

“The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to a courageous and dedicated advocate for peace — to a woman who sustains the light of democracy in the face of encroaching shadows.”

María Corina Machado, who has been fighting for human rights, freedoms, and equality, has always been a challenge for activists. Born in 1967, María Machado has been fighting for years to strengthen democracy in the Latin American country of Venezuela.

María, who graduated from Yale University in New Haven, USA, has been striving to unite all opposition parties against the Venezuelan government and hold free elections to form a representative government.

She added fuel to the flames of the country’s authoritarian regime when, in 2024, she became the candidate of the Liberal Party against President Nicolás Maduro, on behalf of all opposition parties. The government abused María by having her candidacy papers cancelled. She has been working secretly for the last 14 months to save democracy.

Democracy relies on individuals who choose to speak out, who bravely take action in the face of significant danger, and who remind us that freedom is not a given, but something that must be actively protected — through articulate expression, bravery, and unwavering resolve. “María Corina Machado stands out as a remarkable embodiment of civilian bravery in contemporary Latin America.” On the other hand, US President Donald Trump, who himself continued to fuel racism and was clamouring for the peace prize by showing his self-achievement in stopping the wars going on in different parts of the world, remained in a state of shock. Trump, who is credited with the India-Pakistan ceasefire, then the resolution of the Israel-Gaza conflict and the ending of the Ukraine-Russia war, is actually creating unrest in the world by manipulating economic policies and tariffs.

Although Russia also supported Trump’s nomination for the peace prize, the shed blood of a thousand Palestinians and the souls of the brave martyred women and children of Ukraine are cursing America.

Instead of strengthening pro-people forces and peace in different parts of the world, Trump is taking steps to take his traditional and historical democracy away from the hearts of the people by inviting military officers from undemocratic governments like Pakistan to serve his interests.

According to the announcement of the Norwegian Nobel Institute on 10 October, María Corina Machado, who has devoted her life to keeping democracy alive and protecting human rights, has become the twentieth woman in the history of the Nobel Peace Prize.

When the committee told María before the announcement, she said emotionally, “We will not let the sun of democracy set even at the cost of our lives.” The committee wrote, “María deserves to be praised for her contribution to the long-running struggle against the unrepresentative government of her country, Venezuela, and the struggle to defend democracy.”

Two years ago, Iran’s Nargis Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while still in prison.

Nargis, who has been fighting for women’s rights, human rights, and freedom, is still in prison in Tehran.

In 2023, the Nobel Committee wrote, “Nargis has lost a lot in her long struggle for human rights.” With this honour, we want to send a message to those dark corners of the world where women are being oppressed and basic human rights are being trampled. In the third decade of the twenty-first century, such inhumane phenomena are going to add fuel to the roots of the regime there.

In whichever region, such a dress code or social life is decided by authoritarian governments or society, fearless and brave women like María and Nargis Mohammadi must stand up.

In the third decade of the twenty-first century, such inhumane phenomena are likely to add fuel to the roots of the regime there. In whichever region, such a dress code or social life is determined by authoritarian governments or societies, fearless and brave women like María and Nargis Mohammadi are bound to be born.

The courageous struggle of these two for democracy and human rights will be remembered.

There were a lot of rumours about who “deserves” the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, and there were even efforts to give it to a specific person.

There was no clearer message from the Nobel Prize committee. We can all now breathe a sigh of relief and move on now that the choice has been made. Surjit Singh Flora is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Brampton, Canada.

The author is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Brampton, Canada.