Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for promoting democratic rights in her country and her struggle to achieve a transition to democracy, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer who lives in hiding, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.
"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," it said in its citation.
The committee chose to focus on Venezuela at this time, in a year dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated public statements that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ahead of the announcement, experts on the award had said Trump would not win it as he is dismantling the international world order the Nobel committee cherishes.
The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or about $1.2 million, is due to be presented in Oslo on 10 December, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895 will.
This year’s Peace Prize was chosen from a total of 338 nominations — 244 individuals and 94 organisations, submitted from around the world. The announcement took place at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway.
The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.”
Since its establishment in 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has honored individuals and organisations that have made exceptional contributions to ending conflict, building international cooperation, and advancing human dignity.
The official ceremony will be held at Oslo City Hall in December, where the laureate will deliver the traditional Nobel Lecture.
White House reacts
The White House on Friday criticized the Nobel Prize committee's decision to award the peace prize to a Venezuelan opposition leader instead of U.S. President Donald Trump.
"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will," White House spokesman Steven Cheung said in a post on X.
"The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace."
Three Dutch parties have agreed to form a minority coalition that will install D66 leader Rob Jetten as the country’s youngest prime minister....
Storm Chandra brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as strong winds and heavy rain sw...
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has assured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh will not permit its airspace or territory to be use...
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sh...
Nigeria’s army says troops have rescued 11 kidnap victims during a late-night operation on the Kaduna–Abuja highway after tracking militants movin...
Storm Chandra brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as strong winds and heavy rain swept across the island.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
The European Parliament has delayed until next week a decision on whether to resume work on the EU–U.S. trade deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington would withdraw its support for Iraq if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is returned to power, citing concerns over governance, stability and regional influence.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has climbed to 6,126, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, often viewed as a bellwether for the complex diplomatic currents between the Kremlin and the West, has issued a startling prediction regarding the endgame of the war in Ukraine.
The strategic axis between Israel and Azerbaijan has been significantly reinforced this week as President Ilham Aliyev received Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Baku.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Europe is "incapable" of defending itself alone without the United States, dismissing calls for a separate European defence force and stressing that transatlantic cooperation remains essential for the continent’s security.
Three Dutch parties have agreed to form a minority coalition that will install D66 leader Rob Jetten as the country’s youngest prime minister.
Storm Chandra brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as strong winds and heavy rain swept across the island.
Nigeria’s army says troops have rescued 11 kidnap victims during a late-night operation on the Kaduna–Abuja highway after tracking militants moving captives through forested terrain.
The European Parliament has delayed until next week a decision on whether to resume work on the EU–U.S. trade deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington would withdraw its support for Iraq if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is returned to power, citing concerns over governance, stability and regional influence.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment