ALBAWABA - The Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado for her "unwavering fight for democracy and human rights" in a country that has been ruled by authoritarianism for a long time. This decision shocked few but made headlines around the world.
Venezuelan courts have stopped Machado, 58, from running for president, and she mostly lives in hiding. Even so, she has stayed a key figure in the fight against President Nicolás Maduro, calling for what the committee called a "fair and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."
The committee's statement praised Machado's "courage and resilience" and said, "When tyrants take power, it is important to honor those who dare to resist."
"Politics Over Peace" Outrage at the White House
Washington reacted right away to the decision. Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the White House, said that the Nobel Committee put politics ahead of peace when they said: "President Trump will keep making peace deals and saving lives." He is one of a kind; he can move mountains with his will alone.
Cheung's post on X (formerly Twitter) came after months of Trump saying he should get the award for his work to mediate the Gaza ceasefire and other peace efforts in the Middle East.
The UN likes the choice, but Trump's friends are angry.
The UN Human Rights Office called the award "a recognition of the Venezuelan people's demand for democracy."
Thameen Al-Khitan, a spokesman, said the award shows "clear hopes for free elections and the rule of law."
But people who supported Trump thought the move was a clear insult. His aides said that his diplomatic successes, like the most recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, should have made him the winner.
Inside the Nobel Decision: Why Trump Never Had a Chance
The Times of London says that the Nobel Committee made its decision before the ceasefire in Gaza was announced. This means that Trump's last-minute push couldn't change the outcome.
The Times spoke to people close to the committee who said that members saw Trump as someone who "undermines the global order," which goes against the Nobel's founding principles.
One European diplomat said, "Giving him the prize was completely out of the question." It would have led to calls to get rid of the Nobel Prize altogether.
A Prize with a Meaning
Machado's victory sends a clear message: the world is paying attention to Venezuela's fight for democracy, and presidents and generals don't have all the power.
The award will be given out in Oslo on December 10, the day Alfred Nobel died, and the winner will get 11 million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million).
