Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long campaign to restore democracy in Venezuela, defeating former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was seen as a leading contender after his recent peace initiatives.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the decision on Friday, praising Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela” and her “courage in the face of oppression.”
Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes described Machado as a “unifying figure” who has shown remarkable bravery in confronting the authoritarian government of President Nicolás Maduro, often while facing harassment and travel restrictions.
Nicknamed Venezuela’s ‘Iron Lady,’ Machado has remained one of the country’s most outspoken opposition voices. She was barred from running in last year’s disputed presidential election, where opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia claimed victory that Maduro refused to recognize.
Trump, who recently announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, was widely expected to be among this year’s top contenders. His supporters highlighted his role in what he called ending “seven endless wars” and helping broker peace in the Middle East.
However, reports indicate that the Nobel Committee’s decision was made before the ceasefire announcement.
Committee secretary Kristian Berg Harpviken told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that the prize recognizes “sustained contributions to peace,” not last-minute achievements.
“The award primarily reflects work done in 2024 and previous years,” he said.
Analysts noted that Trump’s record, including his withdrawal from global agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization, as well as his confrontational trade policies, may have weakened his chances.
Despite missing out, Trump joins a list of U.S. presidents who have pursued the prize, following in the footsteps of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.
The Nobel Committee said its choice of Machado reflects “the enduring courage of those who fight for freedom and democracy under repressive regimes.”