A predawn phone call from the Norwegian Nobel Institute to Venezuela on Friday morning captured a genuine moment of surprise and emotion. Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the institute, called Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado—his hands and voice both shaking—to deliver the news.
“Oh, my God,” she said repeatedly.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute released the audio recording of the call on YouTube, X, and other social media just minutes before the official announcement in Oslo. Harpviken, speaking from Oslo, told Machado: “I’m calling to inform you that in a few minutes it shall be announced here at the Nobel Institute that you will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025.” After her repeated exclamations of shock, he quoted directly from the official announcement, explaining she was receiving the 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.”
“I have no words,” Machado said during the phone call. “I thank you so much. But I hope you understand this is a movement. This is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this.”
Machado said she felt “honored, humbled, and very grateful on behalf of the Venezuelan people,” but added, “we’re not there yet. We’re working very hard to achieve it, but I’m sure that we will prevail, and this is certainly the biggest recognition to our people that certainly deserve it.”
María Corina Machado: A leader in hiding
A 58-year-old industrial engineer, Machado—who got the nickname of Venezuela’s “Iron Lady” owing to her adoration of, and similarities to, former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher—has spent much of the past year living in hiding within Venezuela, facing death threats and an arrest warrant from President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The Norwegian Nobel Committee described her as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times” and praised her as a “key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided.”
Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, emphasized the significance of her decision to remain in Venezuela despite the personal risk.
“Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions,” he said during Friday’s announcement.
Machado’s recognition comes as Venezuela has undergone what the Nobel Committee called a transformation “from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal, authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis.” Most Venezuelans now live in deep poverty despite the country’s vast oil reserves, with nearly 8 million people having fled the country.
The crisis intensified following Venezuela’s disputed July 2024 presidential election. Machado was barred from running despite winning the opposition primary, leading her to support Edmundo González Urrutia as the opposition candidate. While the government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote, the opposition presented evidence from 80% of polling stations showing González had won decisively.
González fled to Spain in September 2024 after an arrest warrant was issued, but Machado chose to remain in Venezuela. She made a brief public appearance during opposition protests in January, but has otherwise remained in hiding.
A life of opposition
Born in Caracas on Oct. 7, 1967, Machado comes from an upper-class family and earned degrees in industrial engineering and finance before entering politics in 2002 as cofounder of Súmate, a vote-monitoring organization. She served in the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014, winning a record number of votes, before being expelled by the regime.
Machado leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party and helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance in 2017, uniting pro-democracy forces across political divides. She established the Atenea Foundation in 1992 to help street children in Caracas and was a Yale World Fellow, and both Machado and González were awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize in December 2024.
The White House criticized the Nobel Committee’s decision on Friday, with spokesman Steven Cheung posting on X: “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives … The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.” Trump had repeatedly claimed he deserved the award for his role in resolving conflicts, including the recent Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
In her post-award interview with the Nobel Institute, Machado emphasized the collective nature of Venezuela’s democratic struggle.
“I accept this as a recognition to our people, to the millions of Venezuelans that are anonymous and are risking everything they have for freedom, justice, and peace,” she said.
Whether Machado will be able to attend the December ceremony in Oslo remains uncertain owing to security concerns. When asked about her chances of attending, she expressed optimism: “I trust the Venezuelan people, and I trust our allies. I definitely believe we are in the final stage of a very long, painful struggle for freedom. Certainly it would be the highest honor to represent my country and meet you personally.”
The prize carries a monetary award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.15 million). Machado becomes only the 20th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize since its inception in 1901 and the first Venezuelan recipient. For now, she remains in hiding in Venezuela, continuing her fight for democracy in what the Nobel Committee describes as an increasingly authoritarian world.
You can watch Machado learn the news of her award in the Nobel Prize’s video below.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
