‘Oh my god… I have no words’: The moment Maria Corina Machado finds out she has been awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Maria Corina Machado reacts emotionally upon learning she has won the Nobel Peace Prize, as Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, personally delivers the news before its public announcement.

In a video shared on the official handle of the Nobel Prize, Maria was heard saying, “Oh my god… I have no words. Well, thank you so much, but I hope you understand this is a movement, this is a treatment of a whole society. I am just, you know, one person. I certainly do not deserve this.”

She added, “I am very grateful on behalf of the Venezuelan people. We're not there yet. We're working very hard to achieve it, but I'm sure that that will prevail. This is certainly the biggest recognition for our people, who certainly deserve it. So thank you very much. Thank you very much (sic).”

Maria Corina Machado bags Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who is in hiding, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote democracy in the country.

In 2024, Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer, was blocked by Venezuela's courts from running for president. This prevented her from challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has held power since 2013.

The Nobel Committee honoured her “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.”

The head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Joergen Watne Frydnes, hoped that the award would encourage the Venezuelan opposition's efforts.

“We hope that the entire opposition will have renewed energy to continue the work for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” Frydnes told Reuters.

This year, there were 338 nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, comprising 244 individuals and 94 organisations. Although the Nobel Foundation's rules mandate that the names of the nominees remain secret for 50 years, speculations arose over Trump's victory, who had consistently claimed that he deserves the prize.

(With inputs from agencies.)