During a time when positive media coverage about Latinos can feel scarce, Maria Corina Machado is one outstanding example of courage, leadership, and the unrelenting pursuit of democracy. Announced on October 10th, Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Despite this, Machado accepted her award from an undisclosed location, as she is in hiding from persecution by the Venezuelan authoritarian government. So, why is it that a brave civilian being honored for her democratic reforms by the Norwegian Nobel Committee is not safe to walk free in her home country? 

Emerging in a career of business and engineering, Machado has expressed an active passion for justice and has been uplifting Venezuelans since 1992. She established the Atenea Foundation, which provided aid to the impoverished and unhoused children of Caracas. Her political career began in 2002 by co-founding Súmate, an organization dedicated to facilitating free and fair elections in Venezuela; a rarity since President Hugo Chávez commandeered Venezuelan power. Though Chávez’s presidency ended with his death in 2013, his authoritarian legacy persists under Nicolás Maduro.

In 2023, Machado announced that she would be running for president of Venezuela, against the seated dictator, Nicolás Maduro. Once the regime barred her from running, she placed a stand-in candidate to run on her behalf, Edmundo González. Presidential “elections” were held in July of 2024, and abundant evidence shows that her campaign amassed over 70% of the votes. Numerous democratic nations, including the United States, recognized the true victory of González. 

Despite the clear representation of what the people of Venezuela voted for, Maduro’s regime falsified the election results in his and Chávez’s favor and remained in power. Since then, Maria Corina Machado has been hiding in an undisclosed location within the country, continuing her work while also fearing for her life, since authoritarian regimes like that of Venezuela swiftly destroy any opposition to their rule. This precarious situation is not new, since previous opposition leaders have been targeted by the regime as well – including political activist Juan Guaidó, who was forced into exile in Colombia and has had an arrest warrant on him since 2023. 

Revered and adored by her fellow Venezuelans, Machado’s work has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to democracy and freedom within her country. When interviewed just minutes after receiving news of her recognition, Machado expressed her hopes for the future.

“It has been a very long journey at a very high cost for Venezuelan society….And the Venezuelan people persevered. I believe that we are very close to achieving, finally, freedom for our country and peace for the region. I believe that even though we face the most brutal violence, our society has resisted and insisted to struggle through civic means and peaceful means. I believe that the world will now understand how urgent it is to finally succeed because of the implications, not only I insist for Venezuela and Latin America, this will have enormous impact for the hemisphere, the whole hemisphere, and for the world.” 

After receiving her news, Machado said that the award belongs not to her, but to the entirety of the Venezuelan people who have worked as tirelessly as herself. She looks forward to a world where those who have had to flee Venezuela, due to the deteriorating political climate, will someday be able to return to a democratic home. The world watches and aspires that one day, all individuals will be free to express themselves, the government and the governed will exchange peace, and democracy will be achieved.