Machado has long supported Trump’s hardline stance against Maduro
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to the people of Venezuela and to former U.S. President Donald Trump, praising his “decisive support” for her country’s democratic movement.
Machado made the announcement on X, writing, “I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.”
This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.
We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic…
She added, “We are on the threshold of victory, and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve freedom and democracy.”
The Nobel Committee said Machado was selected 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.”
Machado, 58, has lived in hiding for the past year after Venezuela’s disputed elections, which critics say were rigged in favor of President Nicolas Maduro. Barred from running, Machado supported former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, who many foreign governments recognize as the rightful winner.
Her Nobel Prize is being viewed as both a personal triumph and a symbolic victory for the Venezuelan opposition, which continues to challenge Maduro’s authoritarian rule amid a deep economic and humanitarian crisis.
Machado has long supported Trump’s hardline stance against Maduro, including the former U.S. president’s military pressure campaign and naval deployment near Venezuelan waters. She has described these actions as “necessary measures” for a democratic transition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted Machado’s dedication on X, signaling continued U.S. attention to the situation in Venezuela.
Opposition figure Henrique Capriles congratulated Machado, writing, “May this recognition be another boost to achieve peace and for our Venezuela to leave behind the suffering and recover the freedom and democracy for which it has fought for so many years.”
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize underscores the growing international recognition of Venezuela’s ongoing fight for democracy and human rights.
