Maria Machado dedicates Nobel Peace Prize win to 'suffering Venezuelans and President Donald Trump'

Hours after being named the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said the honour recognised the “struggle of all Venezuelans.”

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she dedicated the award to her country’s “suffering people” and thanked former US President Donald Trump for his “support for Venezuela’s cause.”

Machado, a veteran politician and industrial engineer, was recognised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for her relentless advocacy of democratic rights and her push for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela.

Announcing the award on its official handle, the Committee wrote: “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María 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.”

The announcement came after weeks of speculation over possible contenders, including former US President Donald Trump, whose nomination had stirred international debate.

Earlier in August, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had claimed Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he had “ended several conflicts around the world.” Trump himself had boasted, “In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven wars,” citing alleged peace efforts between Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan, and several other global hotspots.

Machado’s recognition, however, marks a historic moment for Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement — and a symbolic victory for those resisting authoritarian rule in Latin America.