Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, widely known as the Iron Lady of Venezuela, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering fight for democracy and human rights in her country.
Machado, who had spent more than 14 months in hiding after refusing to concede following Nicolás Maduro’s disputed election victory, has been a prominent political figure and vocal critic of Venezuela’s socialist government for over two decades.
Born on 7 October 1967, Machado began her political career in the Democratic Action party before founding her own liberal party, National Action. In 2011, she was elected to the National Assembly, where she focused on strengthening democratic institutions and protecting civil rights.
In 2014, she established the Alliance for Freedom, a coalition uniting opposition faction against Maduro’s rule. Despite being barred from running for president by the Supreme Court in 2024, she won the opposition primaries, cementing her status as a key figure in Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement.
Known for advocating free-market reforms, privatization, and reduced state intervention, Machado has consistently opposed the socialist policies of the Maduro regime. In January 2025, she was arrested during anti-government protests in Caracas and later released, a detention her team described as an abduction.
Machado’s global recognition has grown steadily; in 2024, she received the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, honoring her dedication to democratic values and the rights of Venezuelan citizens.
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