Nobel Laureate Maria Corina Machado Calls for Fight for Freedom

Maria Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, emphasized the necessity of fighting for freedom during her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech delivered by her daughter on Wednesday. Although she was unable to attend the ceremony in Oslo, her message resonated deeply, highlighting the broader implications of democracy for both Venezuela and the world.

In her speech, Machado articulated that receiving the Nobel Peace Prize is a significant moment not just for her but also for her country. “It reminds the world that democracy is essential to peace,” she stated through her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado. “What we Venezuelans can offer the world is the lesson forged through this long and difficult journey: that to have a democracy, we must be willing to fight for freedom.” A large portrait of Machado adorned Oslo City Hall during the ceremony, symbolizing her struggle and commitment to democracy.

Machado, 58, was meant to receive the award from Norwegian King Harald, overcoming a decade-long travel ban imposed by the Venezuelan government. Despite her efforts to reach Oslo, she could not arrive in time for the event. In an audio recording shared by the Norwegian Nobel Institute, she informed the head of the Nobel Committee, Joergen Watne Frydnes, that she was en route to the city. The precise location from which she called remained undisclosed.

Reports indicate that Machado departed Venezuela by boat on Tuesday, arriving in Curacao, a Caribbean nation, before attempting to fly to Norway. The director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Kristian Berg Harpviken, mentioned that Machado was expected to land in Oslo later that night but did not provide specific details about her travel.

In 2024, Machado faced exclusion from the presidential election despite winning the opposition’s primary by a significant margin. Following a disputed vote, she went into hiding in August 2024 as Venezuelan authorities intensified their crackdown on opposition figures. While the electoral authority declared President Nicolás Maduro the victor, international observers and opposition leaders asserted that Machado was the true winner, citing ballot box-level tallies as evidence.

Reflecting on Venezuela’s political decline, Machado noted that citizens failed to recognize the slow erosion of their democracy. She referred to former president Hugo Chávez, who led a military coup in 1992 and later won elections, stating, “By the time we recognized how fragile our institutions had become, a man who had once led a military coup to overthrow democracy was elected president.” She underscored that from 1999 onward, the regime systematically dismantled democratic institutions in Venezuela.

The current president, Nicolás Maduro, who has held power since Chávez’s death in 2013, has accused the United States of attempting to destabilize his government to gain access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Maduro’s government claims that the Venezuelan armed forces and citizens are prepared to resist any foreign intervention. According to sources familiar with military planning, the armed forces are considering guerrilla tactics in response to potential U.S. military actions.

Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2024, has dedicated part of her recognition to U.S. President Donald Trump, who controversially claimed he deserved the honor. Aligning with hawkish elements in U.S. politics, she has argued that Maduro maintains ties to criminal organizations threatening U.S. national security, despite skepticism from the U.S. intelligence community.

Recent months have seen the Trump administration conduct over 20 military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coast of Latin America. These actions have drawn criticism from human rights groups, certain Democratic lawmakers, and several Latin American nations, who label them as unlawful extrajudicial killings.

The situation in Venezuela remains complex and volatile, with Machado’s recognition serving as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for democratic governance and human rights in the region.