The Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her efforts "towards a fair and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."
"Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civic courage in Latin America in recent times," said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, in Oslo.
Ms. Machado "has been a key figure in uniting a political opposition that was once deeply divided, finding common ground in the demand for free elections and a representative government," he added.
She achieved this unification at a time when "Venezuela has transitioned from a relatively democratic and prosperous nation to a brutal, authoritarian state plagued by a humanitarian and economic crisis," the Nobel Committee president mentioned.
Ms. Machado's prominence surged during the opposition primaries in October 2023, where she garnered over 90% of the votes in a show of strength with 3 million voters.
She quickly became a polling favorite, earning the nickname "libertadora" ("liberator"), in homage to the "libertador" Simon Bolivar.
Over the past year, "Ms. Machado has been forced to live underground. Despite serious threats to her life, she has remained in her country, a choice that has inspired millions," the committee noted.
Thus, the prize eludes American President Donald Trump, who had not concealed his desire to win it this year.
Since returning to the White House for his second term in January, the American leader has repeatedly insisted that he "deserved" the Nobel for his role in resolving numerous conflicts - a claim that observers largely consider exaggerated.