Abinader congratulates María Corina Machado on 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Through his official WhatsApp channel, Abinader praised Machado’s “more than 30 years of struggle for democracy and human rights,” calling her “a beacon of hope for your country and the world.” He emphasized that defending democracy and fundamental freedoms remains essential for peace and stability, values that Machado has upheld “with dedication and sacrifice.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the 58-year-old politician “for her tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and her efforts to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Machado, a leading critic of President Nicolás Maduro, played a key role during Venezuela’s 2024 presidential elections, in which the opposition claimed victory but the ruling party refused to recognize the results.

In her first reaction, Machado said she was “speechless” and accepted the award “with humility and gratitude on behalf of the people of Venezuela.” She added that the honor strengthens her nation’s resolve to achieve freedom and democracy. “This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans drives us to complete our task: to achieve freedom,” she declared. “Venezuela will be free!”

Machado becomes the second Venezuelan to receive a Nobel Prize, following Baruch Benacerraf’s Nobel in Medicine in 1980.