Copenhagen. – The Norwegian Nobel Institute confirmed this Tuesday that investigations have concluded that the news of the awarding of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was leaked illegally but they have not been able to determine how.
“Since several people placed significant amounts of money on prediction websites hours before the announcement, we can say with certainty that there were actors who were able to acquire information about last year’s decision illegally,” the Institute stated in a statement sent to EFE.
Nobel Peace Prize 2025
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado. He received the Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless work in favor of the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and for his fight to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. As a leader of the movement for democracy in Venezuela, María Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Latin America in recent times. Ms. Machado has been a key and unifying figure in a political opposition that was previously deeply divided, an opposition that found a point of convergence in the demand for free elections and a representative government. This is precisely what lies at the heart of democracy: our shared will to defend the principles of popular government, even when we disagree. At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this point of convergence. Venezuela has evolved from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal and authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis. The majority of Venezuelans live in extreme poverty, while the few at the top get rich. The violent machinery of the State is directed against its own citizens. Almost 8 million people have left the country. The opposition has been systematically repressed through electoral fraud, legal persecution, and imprisonment. The authoritarian regime in Venezuela greatly hinders political work. As the founder of Súmate, an organization dedicated to democratic development, Ms. Machado defended free and fair elections more than 20 years ago. As she herself stated: “It was a matter of choosing between votes and bullets.” Since then, both in political positions and in the service of organizations, Ms. Machado has defended judicial independence, human rights, and popular representation. She has dedicated years to working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people. Before the 2024 elections, Ms. Machado was the opposition’s presidential candidate, but the regime blocked her candidacy. Subsequently, she supported the representative of another party, Edmundo González Urrutia, in the elections. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers, regardless of their political affiliations, mobilized. They received training as election observers to ensure transparent and fair elections. Despite the risk of harassment, arrest, and torture, citizens from all over the country monitored the polling stations. They made sure that the final counts were documented before the regime could destroy the ballots and lie about the results. The collective opposition’s efforts, both before and during the elections, were innovative and courageous, peaceful and democratic. The opposition received international support when its leaders published the vote count conducted in the country’s electoral districts, which demonstrated that the opposition had won by a clear margin. However, the regime refused to accept the election result and clung to power. Democracy is a prerequisite for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes challenge norms and resort to violence. The iron grip on power by the Venezuelan regime and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We observe the same trends worldwide: the rule of law abused by those in power, freedom of the press silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian regimes and militarization. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair.Throughout its long history, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has honored brave women and men who have confronted repression, who have carried the hope of freedom in prisons, in the streets and in public squares, and who have demonstrated with their actions that peaceful resistance can change the world. During the last year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite the serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a decision that has inspired millions of people.
When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize the brave defenders of freedom who rise up and resist. Democracy depends on those who refuse to be silenced, who dare to step forward despite the grave risk, and who remind us that freedom should never be taken for granted, but should always be defended: with words, with courage, and with determination. María Corina Machado meets the three criteria established in Alfred Nobel’s will for the selection of a Nobel Peace Prize. She has united the opposition in her country. She has never wavered in her resistance to the militarization of Venezuelan society. She has firmly supported a peaceful transition to democracy. María Corina Machado has demonstrated that the tools of democracy are also tools of peace. She embodies the hope for a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected and their voice is heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace.
