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Who is María Corina Machado? Everything to know about the Venezuelan activist who beat Trump to win the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Despite rumors of Donald Trump winning the Nobel Peace Prize this year, a Venezuelan politician and activist - who fights for democracy - has been its recipient.
posted by Akanksha Mishra
Friday 10/10/2025 at 7:32AM EDT
  • OSLO, NORWAY - DECEMBER 8: An official Nobel Peace Prize gold medal is seen at the exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway, on December 8, 2023. (Photo by Sergei Gapon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
    OSLO, NORWAY - DECEMBER 8: An official Nobel Peace Prize gold medal is seen at the exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway, on December 8, 2023. (Photo by Sergei Gapon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

    On Friday, October 10, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announed Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The Venezuelan activitist was commended for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights". Before Machado was awarded the prize, there was speculation about President Trump potentially winning the award. 

    Maria Corina Machado is Venezuelan politician and activist with a degree in industrial engineering from Andres Bello Catholic University. For her post-graduation, Machado pursued a degree in finance from the IESA Business School in Caracas. In 2009, she was a part of Yale University's World Fellows Program.

    A descendant of the third Marquis of Toro, Maria is a mother of three and has worked as an activist for years. In 1992, she set up Atenea Foundation - which uses private donations to care for deliquent and orphaned street children in Caracas. A decade later, Machado founded Sumate - a vote-monitoring organization in Venezuela. 

    Maria Corina Machado has also had an extensive career in the Venezuelan politics. Between 2011 and 2014, she served as a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela, and was a well-known opposition leader in it. She is also part of Vente Venezuela - a political party in which she also serves as the National Coordinator. 

    In 2018, BBC mentioned Machao on its 100 Women list, while earlier this year, she appeared among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. 

    The Nobel Committee called Maria Corina Machado a "committed champion of peace" in their announcement

    In its announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee introduced Maria Corina Machado as:

    "The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 goes to a brave and committed champion of peace - to a womn who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness."

    Times of India describes Machado as a key figure in the pro-democracy movement in her country. Fighting against the repressive regime of Nicolas Maduro in her homeland, the activist has continued to remain in Venezuela despite the constant risk of polical persecution, arrest, and even death threats. 

    In their announcement statement, Nobel Committe also stated that Maria Corina Machado was the embodiment of the hope for a future where the Venezuelan citizens' voices were heard and their fundamental rights protected. It also claimed that the activist had shown that "the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace". 

     

    TOPICS: María Corina Machado, Nobel