Controversy has arisen after Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Let us tell you that Machado was honored in his country for protecting democracy and fighting against dictatorship, but the debate regarding this award has intensified between his supporters and critics.
It is noteworthy that Machado is a leading figure of Venezuela’s leading pro-democracy movement and has shown himself to be a symbol of civic courage in recent years. The reason given by the Nobel Prize Committee for awarding him the Peace Prize was that he kept the torch of democracy burning in Venezuela and fought for the protection of the fundamental rights of the citizens. Committee chairman Jørgen Watne Friednes said Machado inspired millions of people by staying in his country despite the danger and showed that the tools of democracy can also be tools of peace.
However, criticism regarding Machado is also sharp. According to available information, in his old social media posts he supported Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. Many critics are linking his support with Israeli air strikes and alleged genocide in Gaza. In some posts, Machado said, “Venezuela’s fight is Israel’s fight,” and she also said she would move Venezuela’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem if she came to power.
Let us tell you that critics are also pointing out that Machado had signed a cooperation document with the Likud party in 2020. Norwegian lawmaker Bjorner Moxnes said that the Likud party is responsible for the violence in Gaza, so this decision of the Nobel Prize is not in line with the spirit of peace. American Muslim civil rights organization Council on American-Islamic Relations also called it an “unacceptable” decision and called on the committee to reconsider the decision.
Another controversy surrounding Machado is that he called for foreign intervention against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. In 2018, he sent letters to the leaders of Israel and Argentina asking them to cooperate in removing the dictatorship in their country. He also shared a copy of this letter online.
Overall, according to current information, Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has come amid controversy and criticism, with debates surrounding his political stance and calls for foreign interference.