Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize | BBC News

Now, another story that we're following closely here on the BBC is what's happening in Oslo. These are live pictures there. We're expecting the Nobel Committee to announce this year's winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. That should be happening in just a couple of minutes time. Joining me here in the studio is my colleague Mark Lauren. And Mark, importantly, you've been there to Oslo. You've had a behind-the-scenes look at the process that it takes to decide a winner. Just give us a sense of what it's like behind the scenes. Yeah, we were in the room where it happens, inside that room that you could see there in those pictures we were just showing you. We watched the podium being set up for the dress rehearsal for the announcement. It will be made by the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jørg Wagner Fridnes, who is the head of the Norwegian branch of PEN, which is an association that promotes freedom of expression. And for the first time in their 125-year history, since 1901, they allowed us in there at the start of this week. And inside the room, as they gathered, as they began to get down to talks and to decision time, they asked us to leave, of course. But they have never even disclosed in their history when they come together because of the security threat that it could pose. This is an unprecedented year for the Nobel Peace Prize, mainly because one man has been launching such a public campaign for it. Donald Trump has been absolutely fixated on winning this award, the world's most prestigious award, for years. He has reeled off in public speeches and press conferences the achievements that he says qualifies him for the award. We think he is one of the 338 nominees this year. But the nomination papers closed in January this year, and they will not be made public for 50 years from this year. So we will only find out shortly what... And I think the moment is now, yes. Let's listen in. Let me just explain who that is. That is Mr Friedner's there on the left. And on the right of the screen is the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. They're currently in the room where they have their deliberations, which was the room that we went into to see. And you can see on the walls there are photos of all the past winners back from 1901. And now they open the doors and they come out for the big announcement. Good morning. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 goes to a brave and committed champion of peace, to a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 to Maria Corina Machado. She is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela, and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. As the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times. Miss Machado has been a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided, and a position that found common ground in the demand for free election and representative government. This is precisely what lies at the heart of democracy, our shared willingness to defend the principles of popular rule, even though we disagree. At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground. Venezuela has evolved from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal and authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis. Most Venezuelans live in deep poverty, even as the few at the top enrich themselves. The violent machinery of the state is directed against its own population. Nearly eight million people have left the country. The opposition has been systematically suppressed by means of election rigging, legal prosecution and imprisonment. Venezuela's authoritarian regime makes political work extremely dangerous. As the founder of SUMATE, an organization devoted to democratic development, Miss Machado stood up for free and fair elections more than 20 years ago. As she said, it was a choice of ballots over bullets. In political office and in her service to organizations since then, Miss Machado has spoken out for judicial independence, human rights and popular representation. She has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people. Ahead of the election of 2024, Miss Machado was the opposition's presidential candidate, but the regime blocked her candidacy. She then backed the representative of a different party, Edmundo González Urrutia, in the election. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers mobilized across political divides. They were trained as election observers to ensure a transparent and fair election. Despite the risk of harassment, arrest and torture, citizens across the country held watch over the polling stations. They made sure the final tallies were documented before the regime could destroy ballots and lie about the outcome. The efforts of the collective opposition, both before and during the election, were innovative and brave, peaceful and democratic. The opposition received international support when its leaders publicized the vote counts that had been collected from the country's election districts, showing that the opposition had won by a clear margin. But the regime refused to accept the election result and clung to power. Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence. The Venezuelan regime's rigid hold on power and its repression of its population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally. Rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarization. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair. In its long history, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has honoured brave women and men who have stood up to repression, who have carried the hope of freedom in prison cells, on the streets, and in public squares, and who have shown by their actions that peaceful resistance can change the world. In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist. Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended with words, with courage, and with determination. Maria Corina Machado meets all the three criteria stated in Alfred Nobel's will for the selection of a Peace Prize. She has brought her country's opposition together. She has never wavered in resisting the militarization of Venezuelan society. She has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy. Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace. Thank you. Questions? Mr. Chair, the attention this year has been a bit further north. How are you, as a committee, going to make sure that the topic of this year's Peace Prize, democratic development in Venezuela, is highlighted in the days and weeks to come? First and foremost, we hope to get your help, because the media obviously plays an important role in highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. But first and foremost, the immense and impressive work of the opposition in that country, so that they will still have hope to fight for freedom, a future of freedom for their country. Congratulations to Maria Corina Machado and the committee on the decision. But during the past months, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and he'd like to have it. He even said that it would be an insult to the United States if he doesn't get it. What does you, as chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, think of this? And how has this campaign-like activity by the President and his supporters, domestically and internationally, affected the deliberations and the thinking in the committee? In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, I think this committee has seen any type of campaign, media attention. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel. Hello, Bibiana Piene from Norwegian News Agency. As you state in your explanation, more and more countries are moving in a more autocratic direction. Would you say that the committee, by this prize, is sending a warning to the world? Living in a world where we have less and less democracies and more and more authoritarian regimes means that the world is also getting more unsafe. And we believe that democracy is a precondition for peace. And so, yes, that is the message to the world. We need to support the democratic forces also on behalf of peace. Thank you. Mieszko Czarnecki, the Polish Press Agency, PAP. This is the next Nobel Peace Prize in recent years when woman has been awarded. Do you feel that women all over the world and in certain countries play a significant or a certain role protecting democracy, taking into consideration the Iranian activists from 2023 and the Venezuelan democracy protector that has been just announced as a laureate? Thank you. Thank you. As quoted in the announcement text, in the long history of the prize, brave women and men from around the world have stood up against repression again and again. That is a key element of the Peace Prize. And we've seen it once again that Maria Machado has been a unifying leader of the opposition in Venezuela. And what they did in the election of 2024 was incredible. And it gives hope to an entire country. Mr. Chairman, Christopher Ronenberg from Afton Posten. We've seen in previous years that awarding the Peace Prize to dissidents can put their lives at more risk than it already is. You mentioned yourself that she has been in hiding for quite some time. What considerations have you made when it comes to her safety and security now that she has become more exposed because of this Peace Prize? You're now touching upon some of the absolutely most difficult dilemmas in the work of the committee. This is the discussion we have every year for all candidates, particularly when the person who receives the prize is, in fact, in hiding because of serious threats to her life. She is very active in Venezuela, has been and will be. And so we are also taking the consideration that this prize will support her cause and not limit it. Do you expect to see her in December in Oslo? Again, a question of security. It's too early to say. We always hope to have the laureate with us in Oslo. But this is a serious security situation which needs to be handled first. Thank you. Then I'll say thank you so much for your questions. Thank you for coming. We'll have individual interviews. And that there was the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announcing that Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, saying that she won for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. With me in the studio is my colleague Mark Lowen. Mark, you have been looking at the potential winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize. What more can you tell us about Maria Corina Machado? She is sometimes called Venezuela's Iron Lady, actually. She has long been the opposition leader in Venezuela, banned from leaving the country by the regime of Nicolás Maduro. She was banned from standing in the election last year, which, as you heard there from the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, they said that they believed was completely stolen by Nicolás Maduro. So there had to be an alternative candidate, Edmund González, who stood from exile. She's received death threats. She said that she had been kidnapped earlier in the year when she briefly came out of hiding to join a protest. And she is clearly an extremely brave woman, who, as the committee said, has constantly chosen ballots over bullets. They said, despite the threat of harassment and torture, the people of Venezuela kept watch over the and they said that she was a brave and committed champion of peace, who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness. Now, this has been a very difficult choice for the Norwegian Nobel Committee, because of course they need to choose the candidate who they believe most merits this award. But as you heard there in the questions, it has faced unprecedented pressure from Donald Trump. So they would never disclose this, and they would never say this, but I think that this is a very delicate and smart move by the Norwegian committee. Just explain that for us, because there's an interesting relationship between Ms Machado and President Trump. Indeed. So this is a woman who has actually, she represents an opposition in Venezuela that is supported by the Trump administration. Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, has called Nicolás Maduro, who has started his third term in power, despite all the beliefs by opposition, by observers, that he stole the election. Marco Rubio described Maduro as illegitimate. In recent weeks, we've seen the Trump administration bomb boats, Venezuelan boats, carrying what they believe are smugglers and drugs trying to reach the United States. So what the Nobel Committee has done is they've not given the prize to Donald Trump because they felt that he didn't deserve it, clearly, but they have chosen somebody who will not incur the wrath of the Trump administration or a retaliation. Now, I'm not saying that that is motivating the Nobel Committee, but I think that that is a very, very interesting move here. And one other point to make, Catherine, is that in the address there by the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, he talked a lot about Corina Machado and her tireless work. But Jørgen Vatnefrides, the head of the committee, also spoke a lot about the retreat of democracy around the world. He said that democracy is in retreat, that there are more and more authoritarian regimes challenging norms and resorting to violence. That is a broader and quite powerful statement, I think, about what is happening around the world. Some will interpret it as potentially a barbed statement about what is happening in the United States. He has spoken out, this man, against Donald Trump in the past. So I thought there were subtle implications in everything he said. Mark, thank you. That's my colleague Mark Lowen with that analysis there. Maria Corina Machado announced as this year's winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Around the world and across the UK, this is BBC News.