Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Machado Wins Nobel Prize for Peace

What Happened?

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Machado was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace for her efforts to promote democracy in Venezuela for the past several years. The Nobel Committee issued a statement about Ms. Machado saying, ‘When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.’

Despite facing credible threats against her life, Ms. Machado chose to remain in Venezuela, a decision that has inspired millions across the Latin American region. During a call with the Nobel Committee, Ms. Machado said, ‘This is something the Venezuelan people deserve. I am just part of a huge movement.’

Why it Matters

Several international monitoring agencies concluded that the current President of Venezuela, Maduro, actually lost the July 2024 national election in Venezuela by a wide margin. Instead of conceding his loss, Mr. Maduro likely lied about winning the election, then orchestrated an armed takeover of the presidency in Venezuela. As part of his efforts to consolidate and maintain power, he has systematically used Venezuela’s legal system to arrest his political opponents. Mr. Maduro’s supporters have threatened the lives of the political opposition.

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Mr. Maduro has also fired key government officials and replaced them with his personal allies, who in turn have used their official offices to persecute or harass Mr. Maduro’s political opponents. He has also demanded the military pledge loyalty to him and fired officers who refused. He claims to be fighting corruption, but in reality, he is consolidating his own power. These types of actions are textbook examples of an authoritarian takeover of a country that previously had been democratic. 

The authoritarian takeover of Venezuela has made life difficult for Mr. Maduro’s political opponents. Some have been imprisoned, others killed, and still others have had their lives threatened. Ms. Machado is one of those, and she has received a number of serious and credible threats against her life. Many of her friends and family urged her to leave Venezuela for her own safety, but she chose to remain and fight against authoritarianism instead. 

Ms. Machado had planned to run against Mr. Maduro for the presidency of Venezuela, but Mr. Maduro’s cronies on the National Electoral Council disqualified her candidacy. Since then, she has been sought by the Maduro regime but went into hiding within Venezuela, continuing to post videos and occasionally appear at anti-regime protests across the country. 

Ms. Machado was arrested once, but she was released shortly thereafter with no explanation from the Venezuelan government. Her popularity is likely what secured her release, as her imprisonment could have sparked a major uprising against the Maduro regime.

How it Affects You

Venezuela has been rocked by corruption and violence in the past decade, which triggered a mass exodus of people, most of whom headed north to Mexico or the United States. The violence and corruption in Venezuela is present in many other countries in Latin America, and it has been a key driving force in the increase in migrants headed to the U.S. southern border over the past decade.

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