The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Venezuela’s main opposition determine, Maria Corina Machado. The 58-year previous democracy chief has been in hiding since 2024.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
This 12 months’s Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition chief Maria Corina Machado. In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee referred to as her a, quote, “courageous and dedicated champion of peace.” Machado has been in hiding in Venezuela since her opposition get together misplaced in 2024 to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in what was broadly denounced as a rigged election. Machado is a detailed ally of President Trump, who had been lobbying publicly for the prize for himself. For extra, let’s go to NPR South America correspondent Carrie Kahn. Hey, Carrie.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Hello.
DETROW: So what did the Nobel Committee say in saying her because the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner?
KAHN: The committee referred to as her, quote, “a girl who retains the flame of democracy burning amid a rising darkness.” The committee director posted his name with Maria Corina Machado early this morning earlier than the announcement. She was clearly shocked. You’ll be able to hear it. And he or she rapidly deflected the reward from herself to what she stated is the folks of Venezuela combating for democracy.
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MARIA CORINA MACHADO: I’m simply, you understand, one individual. I actually don’t deserve this (crying). Oh, my God.
KRISTIAN BERG HARPVIKEN: I feel each the motion and also you deserve it.
DETROW: Wow. Inform us extra about Machado’s work in Venezuela.
KAHN: She has lengthy been an outspoken critic of President Nicolas Maduro and former socialist governments in Venezuela. She tried to run towards Maduro within the final election again in 2024, however was barred from operating. She backed an aged, little-known candidate to run in her place. And he or she simply crisscrossed the nation, bringing out these big crowds to oppose Maduro. And this half was actually vital. She constructed this wonderful cadre of election observers who have been in a position to gather an indeniable variety of voting tally sheets on election night time. And people sheets simply got here to show that the election was stolen by Maduro and offered a method for the outcomes to be independently validated. The U.S. and many countries decried the fraud.
DETROW: And Carrie, you lined that election. You traveled together with her on a number of events. What are you able to inform us about her personally?
KAHN: She’s been dubbed Venezuela’s Iron Girl, and she or he undoubtedly is that. Politically, she’s very conservative and a free-market champion. However through the election, she was singularly targeted on ousting Maduro and rallying the nation. On this one journey we took together with her throughout the nation, she needed to journey within the early, early morning hours. She needed to attempt to evade the police, who would usually cease her caravans. Airways would not promote her tickets. Gasoline stations would not promote her gasoline. Her drivers carried their very own tanks of gasoline. And we stopped on this one city to refill tanks and meet supporters, and I jumped in her SUV. And he or she simply informed me she actually believed in electoral democracy and that the opposition may win.
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MACHADO: We have now to defeat the tyranny, and we now have to construct a rustic round belief in one another and dignity.
KAHN: Proper after the election, she held big rallies decrying the fraud. And that was very courageous of her as a result of quickly after, Maduro cracked down on the opposition. Greater than two dozen folks died and 1000’s have been jailed, in keeping with human rights observers. And shortly after, she went into hiding.
DETROW: She thanked President Trump right this moment. How vital of an ally is President Trump?
KAHN: He is essential to her in her marketing campaign to oust Maduro. The U.S. proper now has this massive flotilla of naval destroyers off the coast of Venezuela in an unprecedented use of the U.S. army within the struggle towards drug trafficking. She supported that – the army’s latest lethal strikes towards alleged drug trafficking boats from Venezuela. The federal government there has accused Trump of selling regime change. And he or she’s needed to stroll this actually tough political line as Trump has cracked down on Venezuelan migrants within the U.S. too.
And he or she was fairly astute right this moment, thanking Trump publicly. President Trump reposted her put up thanking him. And the White Home was, nevertheless, not as cordial and blasted the Nobel Committee for its alternative, saying it proved they positioned politics over peace in giving her the award.
DETROW: That’s NPR’s Carrie Kahn. Thanks a lot.
KAHN: You are welcome.
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