Venezuelan Opposition Leader's Daughter Accepts Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize but did not attend the ceremony in Oslo due to safety concerns, as she has been in hiding for over a year. Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, accepted the award on her behalf, standing next to a large portrait of her mother.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee confirmed Machado's safety but noted the extreme danger of her situation, stating she had done everything possible to attend. In her absence, Sosa read a speech written by her mother, emphasizing that freedom is a deliberate choice and that democracy is essential to peace.

Machado has faced significant repression from President Nicolas Maduro's regime, including a travel ban and threats to her life, preventing her from opposing Maduro directly in the elections. Despite the challenges, Machado remains a symbol of the fight for democracy in Venezuela, with international leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei and Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, attending the ceremony to show solidarity.

The Nobel Peace Prize recognition underscores the ongoing struggle against authoritarianism in Venezuela, where human rights abuses and political repression have become rampant, as noted by various human rights organizations.